


Ranch Hands

by MCRdrugist



Category: Rhett & Link
Genre: M/M, Mpreg
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-25
Updated: 2020-12-24
Packaged: 2021-03-07 17:33:56
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 37,492
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26641504
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MCRdrugist/pseuds/MCRdrugist
Summary: Rhett just couldn't get enough of Link's ranch hands.
Relationships: Rhett McLaughlin/Link Neal
Comments: 10
Kudos: 23





	1. Part 1

Rhett stepped out of the horse stall he'd been cleaning to get some water and stretch his back. Rhett noticed his only employee, Link, sweeping the floor in front of the stalls he'd finished cleaning already. Link had stripped off his shirt and sweat was sliding down his back, it was sweltering out, almost too hot to be out in. Rhett let his eyes trace over Link's muscles, mouth watering at the idea of stripping the rest of Link's clothes off and bending him over a bale of hay. His eyes followed a drip of sweat as it slid down Link's back and landed on his ass. Rhett licked his lips a little and took another drink of water, never taking his eyes off Link's beautiful frame.

Link felt the tiny hairs on the back of his neck stand up and felt like he was being watched. Link knew without looking that Rhett was standing there fucking him with his eyes. "You're doing it again." Link didn't mind Rhett's gaze, in fact he really liked it if he was being honest with himself, but he was trying to ignore Rhett, there was work that needed to be done and no time for distractions.

Rhett smirked a little and took off his cowboy hat to fan himself with it. "Can you blame me? You're out here in just jeans and a hat, muscles glistening with sweat and all I can think about is bending you over a bale of hay and having my way with you." Rhett closed the gap between himself and Link and snaked his arms around him from behind.

Link snorted, rolled his eyes, and swatted at Rhett's arms. "We have work to do!"

"It can wait." Rhett kissed Link's neck, knowing what Link likes, Rhett bit down on the spot that always made Link nuts. "Boss says we can take a long lunch." Rhett joked, because he was the boss.

Link laughed and leaned his broom against the wall, deciding work could wait after all, then turned around in Rhett's arms. "Oh he did did he?" Rhett nodded, trying to keep a straight face. "Well that's very nice of our Boss man."

"He's a very nice person," Rhett played along, using all his might not to laugh.

Link shifted until his butt was pressed against one of the bales of hay they kept in the middle of the barn, "Think he'd mind you having your way with me over this bale of hay?"

"Oh no, I think he'd insist on it," Rhett hummed as he let his hands roam over Link's chiseled chest.

Link laughed and let his hands slide down to the hem of Rhett's shirt, "At least let me lay on your shirt."

Rhett laughed and quickly stripped off his shirt and spread it out on the bale of hay for Link, "Better?"

"Have you ever laid naked on hay before? It's not the most comfortable place to lay down. Especially when I know there's a wonderfully comfy king bed inside where there's air conditioning," Link said as he tugged Rhett's belt out of his pants.

Rhett placed his finger under Link's chin and lifted his lips closer so he could kiss him slowly, "I don't have the patience to go all the way inside," he said as he worked Link's jeans open. "Not when you're so pliable and already half naked."

Link smirked and blushed slightly as he slipped his hands into the back of Rhett's now open jeans and pulled his hips close to get a little friction. "It is pretty far away isn't it?"

Rhett nodded and yanked Link's zipper down, "It's very far away and you're right here."

Link stood up so he could turn around and pressed his back against Rhett's sweat soaked chest and buried his fingers in his hair, "Better make it worth it Boss Man."

"Don't I always?" Rhett whispered in Link's ear and pushed his jeans and boxers down so he could wrap his fingers around his throbbing cock.

Link moaned and threw his head back onto Rhett's shoulder, "So far you're batting a thousand."

Rhett used his other hand to collect some of the sweat dripping down Link's skin before pressing it to his lower back and pressing gently until Link was bent over the bale of hay. Rhett slid his hand around until he could gently press two fingers into Link slowly, "You're all wet for me."

Link moaned and pressed back into Rhett's fingers, "Been thinking about this all day."

"Me too," Rhett growled in Link's ear. "Wanted to pull you back into bed this morning when you got up."

Link moaned and pushed into Rhett harder, "Fuck, Rhett, that's enough. Want you inside me now!"

Rhett pulled his fingers out and pushed his jeans and boxers to his ankles. He grabbed Link's hips with one hand, lined his cock up with his other, and pushed in slowly, moaning as he sunk into Link's incredible heat. "Fuck," Rhett gasped, pausing when he was in all the way and trying to catch his breath. "God Link."

"Fuck, it's too hot for this!" Link groaned and pushed his hips flush against Rhett's groin.

Rhett took hold of Link's hips with both hands and pulled out slowly and slammed back in. "Make this quick then."

"Fuck!" Link gasped and shifted his feet a little further apart to brace himself for the pounding he could tell Rhett was about to give him. He wrapped one hand around one of Rhett's pressing his calloused fingers deeper into his flesh, loving the way Rhett's fingers felt on his exposed skin. Link had never expected when he took this job that he would be so happy bending over for his boss to be used like he did, but now he couldn't imagine not wanting it all the time. He had fallen in love so easily, it felt like he had been born to love Rhett.

Rhett had gotten used to the idea of spending his life alone. He was so busy taking care of his ranch he didn't have time to seek out a relationship and he was okay with that. Then Link had answered his ad looking for help and they worked together so naturally it seemed inevitable to fall in love with him. They got along instantly and nothing seemed awkward between the two and after six months alone together and one night with a bottle of whiskey finally removed the last barrier for them and they'd shared a very drunken kiss and some heavy petting before they passed out in Rhett's bed together. The next morning the hangover they both had was horrendous, but there wasn't any awkwardness. Them waking up spooning just seemed so natural and sharing a groggy early morning kiss seemed so right they just never went back.

Link only spent one more night alone in the house, the next day he moved into Rhett's room and their relationship blossomed. They learned quickly that they needed to work on different tasks on the ranch, because working together always led to them knocking off early and falling into bed together. They couldn't get enough of each other. Almost a year after their first kiss they still couldn't get enough.

"Can't believe we haven't done this yet," Rhett panted as he pounded in and out of Link as fast and hard as he possibly could. 

"Yeah!" Link gasped as he clung to the sides of the bale of hay and fought to stay up right. "Fuck! Rhett!"

"Maybe later!" Rhett growled through his clenched teeth, throwing his head back as he approached his orgasm. "Link, I'm close!"

"Me too!" Link moaned, realizing he wouldn't need to touch himself to get off. Rhett was pounding away at his prostate and it was making Link's eyes cross with pleasure. "Fuck! Rhett!"

Rhett felt Link start tightening around him and knew he was coming hard and Rhett couldn't hold back any longer even if he wanted to. "Link! Fuck!" Rhett slammed home one more time and collapsed on top of Link's back as his legs shook and he came deep inside him.

Link collapsed completely on top of the hay bale, unable to support his and Rhett's weight as his knees went weak from the intensity of his orgasm. Both men laid there, gasping for breath for several minutes until Rhett could stand back up and pull out of Link.

Link shakily got to his feet and both men pulled their pants back up and staggered up to the house together. They collapsed onto their couch and laid against each other until they had recovered and cooled off. Rhett reached over and pulled Link in close to kiss him slowly and run his fingers through his sweat soaked hair.

"Let's get some food and go finish cleaning the barn," Rhett hummed as Link laid his head on his shoulder.

"Five more minutes," Link hummed and kissed Rhett's neck lazily.

~*~*~*~*~*

Later that evening Rhett pulled Link close as they touched each other in the bathroom where they had planned to shower and got distracted as usual. "Link, I've been thinking."

"Uh-oh," Link teased and slid his hands down Rhett's back until he could grab his ass. "Should I be worried?"

"Never," Rhett hummed and forced himself away from Link so he could turn the shower on. "I want to make you a joint owner of the ranch."

"Seriously?" Link asked in surprise.

Rhett nodded and pulled Link into the shower with him and smiled down at him. "I mean, if you want. I can't imagine spending the rest of my life without you in it. I want to be your partner in every sense of the word."

Link smiled up at Rhett and wrapped his arms around his neck, "I want that too."

Rhett bumped his nose against Link's and wrapped his arms around his lower back. "I love the way your ranch roughened hands feel on my skin. Can't get enough of it."

Link hummed softly and ran his fingertips over Rhett's neck making the bigger man shiver a little. "Can't imagine having anybody else's hands on my body any more. When I applied for this job I expected to work with you for a summer, I never expected to fall so madly in love with my boss."

Rhett chuckled and pulled Link in impossibly closer, "I never expected to fall in love with you either, but I wouldn't change it for anything in this world."

Link lifted his head and pressed his lips against Rhett's and kissed him passionately until they had to breathe. "Marry me Rhett?"

"Yes!" Rhett breathed without a second of thought. "Name the time and place."

Link laughed a little and reached over to grab the body wash and a washcloth to start washing Rhett's tanned skin. "We'll make a plan, find a couple people to take care of the ranch for a couple weeks and go on a honeymoon somewhere."

Rhett took the soap from Link and started washing him down too, "I haven't taken a vacation in years."

"I figured as much," Link smiled and stepped under the water to rinse off. They washed each others hair, rinsed off and got out of the shower to dry off and climb into bed together. Link rolled on top of Rhett and settled between his legs and kissed him senseless. "Want to spend the rest of my life with you Rhett. Want to have your babies and raise a family with you."

Rhett placed his hands on Link's broad back and smiled up at him, "I might have put a baby in you today. First time we haven't used protection."

Link shrugged and leaned down to nip at Rhett's shoulder, "To be honest, I liked it better that way."

"So did I," Rhett half moaned and tilted his head to the side to give Link more access to his sensitive neck.

"Wanna do it again?" Link suggested as his hand wondered down to Rhett's hip and caressed his leg.

"Oh absolutely I do," Rhett laugh-moaned and spread his legs a little more.

Link lifted Rhett's leg and wrapped it around his hip and rocked forward and up a little to add a little friction as he dropped kisses on Rhett's neck and shoulder. "Wanna be inside you now."

"Want you inside me," Rhett groaned. "Haven't felt you inside me in awhile."

Link pulled away from Rhett making the older man growl in complaint, "Gotta get the lube. Just a sec." Link leaned over to Rhett's bedside table and fumbled around in the drawer until he found the bottle he was looking for. Once he had it he quickly settled back on top of Rhett and smiled down at him. "You're so impatient." Link punctuated his words with a smack to the part of Rhett's butt cheek he could reach.

Rhett grunted and wrapped both legs around Link's hips, "You've got me all worked up already, of course I'm impatient."

Link snorted and unwrapped Rhett's legs so he could shift back a little so he could press his lubed fingers against Rhett's hole and sink them in slowly. He moved slowly on propose to tease Rhett a little more. "Gotta get you prepped."

Rhett whined and squirmed under Link trying to get his fingers inside quicker, "Liiiiiink! Don't tease me!"

"I like teasing you," Link grinned into Rhett's neck before biting down on it and sucking lightly. "I like driving you nuts, makes you needy and gets you to let go of your need to control everything."

Rhett whimpered and dug his nails into Link's shoulders while trying to fuck himself on Link's fingers, but Link kept pulling back when Rhett rocked forward. "Link! Please! I need you!"

"Almost," Link grunted as he pinned Rhett's hips down with his free hand and pushed his fingers in as deep as they could go. "You've gotta let me open you up first. Last time you didn't let me and I hurt you."

Rhett slammed his head into his pillow with a groan of frustration, but forced himself to stay still and try to relax. "I like the pain sometimes."

"Not tonight," Link determined as he worked his fingers in and out and spread them open to get Rhett to relax and open up for him. "I'll just give you two fingers though so you can still have some burning."

"Please!" Rhett begged and dug his nails in deeper as he squirmed impatiently under Link.

Link grunted softly at the sharp pain in his shoulders, but continued to finger Rhett until he'd had enough teasing then finally pulled his fingers out and slicked up his cock. Link shifted forward and leaned over Rhett to kiss him hungrily while he lifted Rhett's right leg up to hook around his hips so he could line up his aching cock to Rhett's entrance. He rubbed his leaking head along Rhett's crack, deciding to tease him a little bit more, hoping to make him beg. "You're gonna feel so good."

"Link! Please!" Rhett whimpered, squirming under Link and touching him everywhere he possibly could. "Need you inside me now! Please stop torturing me like this!"

Link couldn't help smirking to himself as he shifted to place one hand by Rhett's head while the other helped guide him towards Rhett's hole and slowly started pushing in at last. "Fuck you're so tight!"

"Cause you're so big," Rhett moaned as he forced himself to relax by pushing out a little. It still stung as Link forced his way past his ring of muscles, but Rhett liked the sting, it added to his pleasure. Rhett wrapped as much of his body around Link's as he could, desperate to feel his skin pressed flush against his own.

Link bent down to bite Rhett's shoulder as he bottomed out and shifted a little, trying to extract himself a little from Rhett's full body grip. "I'm not gonna be able to move with you latched onto me like this."

Rhett grunted, but loosened his grasp to let Link move more freely, he kept his hands on Link's shoulders and one leg around his hip. "There you go, now move!"

Link smirked and wrapped his fingers around Rhett's hips, "So demanding." Link pulled out very slowly about half way then pushed back in, knowing the pace would drive Rhett still crazier.

"Link! Baby, please!" Rhett whimpered and arched his back uselessly. "Come on man. Please!"

Link dragged his nails down Rhett's chest, making sure to scrape over both of his nipples, until he grabbed onto his hips firmly. He pulled back out very slowly, paused for a moment, and slammed back in hard and fast. "Better?" Link panted as he set up a rapid pace just the way he knew Rhett liked it.

"Oh yes!" Rhett drew out his moan and rocked back and forth with Link's thrusting, giving himself over completely. "Link! Fuck!" Rhett felt like his body was on fire, the spots where Link was touching him hotter then the rest of him. Pleasure struck every nerve ending in his body, even in his toes and fingers, and it was just this side of overwhelming. 

Link bent down to lay over Rhett as he kept up his rushed pace and kissed him sporadically while sliding his hands over his chest and hips. "You feel fucking unreal!" He panted into Rhett's ear while taking one of his hands and linking their fingers together while his other hand wormed between their bodies so he could wrap it around Rhett's leaking cock.

"You're setting me on fire," Rhett breathed with his lips pressed against Link's. "I'm gonna come."

"Do it Rhett," Link encouraged and stroked his cock firmly. "Come with my cock deep inside you, filling you up to bursting."

"Fuck I love you!" Rhett moaned, his back arching as he tipped over the edge and began spilling between their stomachs.

"Love you too Rhett!" Link moaned, pumping a few more times before he followed Rhett and started filling Rhett up as he sunk as deep as he could possibly get. Link pressed his forehead against Rhett's as they rode the wave of pleasure to its end.

It took Link several minutes to be able to roll off of Rhett and snuggle into his side to finish recovering and coming back down to earth. He pressed lazy kisses to any bit of skin he could reach and slid his hands over Rhett's sweaty skin.

"That was phenomenal," Rhett hummed as he rolled so he was face to face with Link and continued to lazily stroke his back. He leaned forward and caught his lips to kiss him lazily as they basked in the afterglow of great sex.

Link smiled into the kiss and stroked Rhett's hair a little before pulling away and fitting one of his legs between Rhett's thighs. They fell asleep intertwined together.

~*~*~*~*~*

A few weeks later Rhett woke up feeling so sick to his stomach he didn't even want to move for fear of throwing up, so he laid still and took slow breaths hoping the feeling would pass, but then Link started waking up and shifting around in bed and it was too much for Rhett. He sprang from their bed and just barely made it to the toilet before puking violently. 

Link sat up on the edge of the bed and rubbed the sleep from his eyes, "Rhett? You okay?"

Rhett could only groan in response before heaving several more times, but bringing nothing else up. He slumped against the wall next to the toilet and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. "Shit," he mumbled and closed his eyes as he leaned heavily against the cold tile around him as he shook violently.

"Babe?" Link got up and went into the bathroom to check on Rhett. "You sick?"

"I feel a little better after puking, but something is wrong." Rhett groaned and looked up at Link weakly.

"Do you want to stay there or can I help you back to bed?" Link pressed the back of his hand to Rhett's forehead and noticed he felt normal.

"In a minute, I can't stop shaking." Rhett swallowed thickly and laid his head against the wall next to him.

Rhett looked extremely pale and was visibly shaking from head to toe and it scared Link. He'd never seen Rhett get sick before and he couldn't help worrying. He sat in front of Rhett and placed a hand on his knee hoping to comfort him and just let him know he was there.

After a few more minutes Rhett was starting to feel normal again so he pushed away from the wall and held his hand out to Link, "Help me up."

Link quickly stood up and took Rhett's hand and heaved him to his feet, quickly wrapping an arm around his waist when he weaved back and forth a little. "Bed?"

Rhett nodded and let Link support him back to bed so he could crawl into it and lay back down slowly. "I'm feeling a little better, but I need to lay down for a little longer."

"Do you want me to get you coffee or tea or something?" Link asked, feeling helpless and looking for something to do.

"Maybe some Sprite would be a good idea," Rhett decided.

"You got it, I'll be right back." Link went into the kitchen and grabbed a can of Sprite from the fridge and poured it into one of the cups that had a lid and a straw before taking it back into Rhett. He was glad to see the color was returning to Rhett's face already and he was sitting up in bed now. "Feeling better?"

Rhett nodded as he took the cup from Link and took a slow sip. "I almost feel back to normal. I think I'm okay."

"I think you should just stay in bed for at least a few hours and take it easy for the day," Link suggested, perching on the edge of the bed and resting his hand on Rhett's ankle. "Best to not push it just in case you are getting sick."

"I can't take a sick day, there's too much work that needs to be done," Rhett halfheartedly protested, he was feeling a lot better already and he knew how much work went into maintaining the ranch.

Link managed to talk Rhett into staying in bed for the morning, but after lunch Rhett was feeling completely normal again so he got up and helped with the daily chores that needed tending to and he managed just fine. The next morning it happened again. And for two weeks it happened every morning and a few times in the afternoon or if Rhett caught whiffs of certain foods.

It took Link the full two weeks to finally talk Rhett into going to a doctor just to get checked out. So Rhett set out for the two hour drive into town, saw the doctor, got a few tests, and headed back home with the answer to his mysterious illness.

Rhett got home just as Link was taking his lunch break and he walked into the house with a heavy heart. He sat down across from Link at the kitchen table and laid his head down silently.

"What did the doc say?" Link asked after letting Rhett stay silent for several minutes.

Rhett sat up and looked Link in the eyes for a moment then rubbed his face. "Says it's gonna be happening for awhile. Doc gave me some meds to help with the nausea."

"Did he say what's wrong?" Link asked as nerves began to choke him a little with dread.

Rhett nodded, looked back at Link, took his hand in his and smiled a little. "Link, you knocked me up."

Link blinked as the words took a minute to fully sink in. "What? You mean... you're _pregnant_?!"

Rhett smiled sheepishly and nodded. "It seems as if I'm having a baby."

Link's grin spread slowly over his entire face. "My baby? You're having my baby?"

Rhett laughed a little and gave his hand a squeeze, "Yeah Link, I'm having your baby."

"A baby was probably last on my list of possibilities," Link said with an overjoyed laugh. He couldn't resist getting up and walking around to kiss Rhett.

Rhett chuckled and pulled Link down to sit on his lap as they kissed for several long minutes and pressed their foreheads together when they finally broke apart. "I was floored when the doctor told me what he thought it was, because we've literally done it once unprotected, but at least I was able to give him the date of conception without any doubt."

Link giggled and ran his fingers through Rhett's hair, "I didn't think you'd have the first baby. I also didn't think we'd be doing it this quick."

"I agree with both of those statements, but here we are." Rhett shrugged a little and smiled. "We'll have to look into hiring one or two people to help you out around here, because I won't be able to do all the work around here that I usually do and no way I'd ask you to do everything on your own. And I don't know if you have an opinion about us getting married, but I think I may want to be married before the baby comes. My lawyer, Luke, is coming next week with the paperwork to make you a joint owner of the ranch so that'll be taken care of before the baby arrives so we don't have to worry about that at least. But there are a lot of things we need to figure out a bit quicker now."

"Rhett, take a breath, we don't have to figure everything out today," Link said and cupped his face between his hands. "If you want to get married before the baby comes I'm more than okay with that. Hell if you wanted to go to town hall today and get hitched I'd be on bored. I just want to marry you, the details of how and when are secondary. As far as finding help I can call a few papers and magazines to advertise for workers today to get the ball rolling."

"I would happily go to town hall right now, but it would crush my mom not to be there and I bet your mom would want to be there? I'm assuming anyway." Rhett suddenly realized they'd never discussed their parents stand on their chosen lifestyle.

"My mom would be devastated if I got married without her there," Link assured him. "So let's give our mom's a call and see how soon they can come down here and we can set a date. Are we going to plan a whole wedding or just plan on a courthouse marriage?"

"I don't want anything fancy, I vote courthouse then we can go out to eat somewhere special or something." Rhett decided and kissed Link's wrist.

"Sounds perfect," Link leaned down and kissed Rhett again and stroked the back of his neck a little. "I've got most of the work done already if you want to go lay down. You look beat."

Rhett chuckled a little and slipped his hand up the back of Link's shirt. "I wouldn't normally take you up on that offer, but I am pretty tired. You sure it's okay?"

Link nodded and kissed the corner of Rhett's lips. "Positive. I've got all the animals fed already I just need to muck a few horse stalls and that won't take too long. I'll call some papers and magazines while I eat lunch and place the ads."

"What would I do without you?" Rhett sighed and kissed Link tenderly.

"Fall apart and work yourself to death," Link replied with a playful wink.

"I was close to doing that before you came along so you're not wrong." Rhett smacked Link's butt playfully and smiled brightly. "You gotta get up, my legs are falling asleep."

"You saying I'm fat?" Link teased before standing up and heading for the fridge.

"Not fat, just very muscular," Rhett hummed as he walked up behind Link and gave his ass another smack. "I'm gonna go lay down and give Mom a call before possibly taking a nap."

"Okay babe, let me know if you need anything," Link said, turning around to steal a quick kiss before watching Rhett leave the room.

~*~*~*~*~*

Everything seemed to slide into place over the next couple of months. They had several applicants and had settled on two that they felt they could trust and had started training them already. Both of their parents were over the moon about the pending nuptials and they'd set a date for about a month away now. Lastly they'd decided to go to Niagara Falls for a week for their honeymoon. Everything was planned out.

Today Rhett had his first ultrasound appointment and Link was going with him. Rhett was going over what needed to be done on the Ranch with their new ranch hands, Stevie and Chase, one last time. He trusted them to do everything, he just wanted to make sure they knew what all needed to be done. They were both very hard workers, especially Stevie, she seemed to be trying to work them all under the table like she had something to prove. Rhett wanted to talk with her at some point, he didn't want her to work so hard and burn out or hurt herself, but he hadn't had a chance yet.

"Don't worry, we'll get it all done," Stevie said as she took the list from Rhett and smiled at him.

"I trust you will," Rhett smiled back and looked over at Link. "Did I get it all?"

Link laughed a little and nodded, "Yeah, I think you did. We should be back around 3 and I'll help with whatever's left to do, so don't worry about getting it done before we get home. Don't kill yourselves, take your time. You know how we feel, take your time and do it right. It's not the end of the world if something doesn't get done."

Stevie and Chase left to start working after a little more conversation. "We should get on the road, we don't want to be late," Link said as he set the last dish on the drying rack and dried his hands.

"Let me grab my bag and we can go." Rhett went into their bedroom and grabbed what Link teasingly called his man purse and his hat. He couldn't resist looking at himself in the mirror for a moment. His eyes could see all the ways his body was already starting to change. His edges were softening, where cut muscles had been he was starting to lose definition, already gaining weight. His abdomen had started to soften and form a small bump. The last thing he noticed was changing were his pecks, they were starting to grow and becoming rounder. He loved seeing the changes he was going through already, it was the tangible proof of the life growing inside him. He smiled at his reflection and set his hat on his head before he went back downstairs. "Let's boogie!"

Link climbed behind the wheel of his truck and started her up without any trouble. They had decided to take Link's truck, because it was newer and didn't break down at the drop of a hat, it also had working A/C and in the middle of August with temperatures easily reaching over 100 degrees they needed the A/C. Rhett's truck was good for driving around the ranch, but not for much else. Link had been trying to talk Rhett into getting a newer truck without much luck, but maybe he'd have better luck now that they were expecting. Neither of their trucks had proper back seats and they would need a bigger car once the baby came.

Link took Rhett's hand after starting the truck and putting it in gear. "God I'm so excited," Link said as he pulled out of their driveway and pointed his truck towards the highway.

"Me too! It's been so hard to concentrate on work this week. I've just been thinking about getting to see our baby for the first time!" Rhett squeezed Link's hand and kissed his knuckles. "I've been looking up what ultrasound pictures look like just out of curiosity."

Link smiled fondly, "I've seen a couple in person, you can see so much in the last few months, it's pretty cool."

"I think they're doing a 4D ultrasound so we'll be able to see a lot today. The 4D is really neat, here see?" Rhett showed Link his cell phone where he'd pulled up some of the pictures he'd looked at before.

"Wow! That's amazing! Do you think we'll find out the gender today?" Link asked as he turned onto the highway.

"No, it's still too soon. At about 14 weeks is the earliest you can see the gender and I'm only about 12 weeks right now, but that would be cool. Hopefully on our next ultrasound we can see it, if we want to that is."

"Do you want to find out?" Link asked with a quick glance in Rhett's direction.

Rhett had actually been giving this very topic a lot of thought so he had an answer ready, "I haven't decided yet. On the one hand it would be neat to find out so we can buy the right gendered baby stuff. On the other hand there are so few true surprises in life anymore and we can always just buy gender neutral stuff. Pink and Blue are just colors society has assigned to boys and girls, but that doesn't mean we need to follow those rules even if we do decide to find out the gender. Do you want to know?"

Link shrugged, "I honestly haven't given it any thought before this moment."

Rhett chuckled fondly, "Well gut feeling, first way you feel about it when I ask. Do you want to know the gender?"

Link took a few moments to analyze his first feeling about the topic and it was a mix of yes and no. "Truthfully I don't know. You make really good points for both sides of the card. It could be really neat knowing ahead of time, but also really neat to wait. I don't really buy into the pink for girls blue for boys idea. If we find out the sex everybody will want to know and they'll buy us gendered things if we tell them. If we don't find out we can ask for gender neutral stuff which I much prefer."

"Well we can ask for gender neutral stuff either way, but we're more likely to actually get it if we either don't find out the sex or just tell everybody we aren't finding out." Rhett sighed and shook his head. "You're not helping me make up my mind."

That surprised a laugh out of Link and he patted Rhett's thigh, "I'm sorry. Why don't you make a pros and cons list? Maybe it'll help both of us decide."

"Writing right now would probably make me vomit. Besides we have plenty of time to decide. Maybe we'll make a list later this evening. Oh! Or maybe we can grab lunch somewhere before heading home and we can make the list then." Rhett suggested as the idea struck him.

"I'm up for that idea as long as we don't take too long. I want to get back so I can help with the chores. Where would you want to go?" Link asked as he switched lanes to get away from the car behind him that was following way too close for comfort. It was a good thing he switched lanes, because just a couple minutes later traffic came to an abrupt stop. The car that had been tailgating them before had quickly moved up to tailgate the guy who had been in front of Link and when traffic stopped he slammed into the car he was tailgating. "Jesus!" Link gasped at the impact.

"Dear God that could have been us!" Rhett said as he stared at the cars next to him. "Should we get out and see if they're okay?"

"I honestly don't know," Link said as he looked at the traffic ahead of him trying to see if it was moving yet. "I don't think we should, it'll be too dangerous if traffic starts moving again. Call 911, see what the operator says."

Rhett quickly dialed the number and explained the situation once someone answered. "Traffic is completely stopped right now," Rhett said then paused to listen to the reply. "She wants you to stay still, keep traffic from moving if it starts going, while I get out to check on them."

"Okay, be careful," Link said looking around nervously, he saw three other drivers on their phones looking at the wreck and wondered if they were also calling to report it.

Rhett nervously got out of the truck and went to the driver who had been hit first to check on him. He was alert with a bloody nose and on the phone with 911 too. Rhett made sure he was okay before going to check on the guy who caused the wreck. He was slumped over the steering wheel, blood all over his whole face and neck. Rhett very carefully reached into the open window and searched for a pulse. "The driver who was hit seems to be mostly okay, he's talking to 911 too. The other guy is unconscious, but he has a pulse, he's got blood all over his face and head. I think he hit the windshield with his face. I think traffic is starting to move." The operator told Rhett to go ahead and get back into the car and made sure to get his information before telling him to go ahead and move with traffic, they had EMS and police on the way and it was too dangerous for Rhett to do anything further. 

Rhett hesitated, he didn't feel right just leaving the scene. He was chewing on his bottom lip trying to decide what to do when he heard sirens, he looked up to find a motorcycle cop driving down the emergency lane in his direction. Rhett waved his arms as he hung up the phone and waved him down. The officer dismounted, thanked Rhett, and told him to go ahead and get back in his truck. The officer leaned in Rhett's window once he was in the car and asked them if they could pull off to the shoulder and wait for someone to talk to them. Rhett explained about his appointment and said they really couldn't wait around long. The officer got his information and told them someone may call them with any questions and sent them on their way.

"God Link, the tailgater was just covered in blood and his pulse was weak. I don't know if he'll make it," Rhett said as they drove away and he turned around to watch the cars disappear. "I feel weird just leaving."

"I know, but we can't do anything if we stayed," Link pointed out and took Rhett's hand back in his, noticing he was shaking he decided to get off at the next exit he could and pulled into a gas station. "You okay? You're shaking."

"I've just never seen something like that before," Rhett said and wrapped his arms around himself to try and find comfort. "That guy was being a complete dumbass driving so close to everybody, but he didn't deserve to be hurt that badly. He was just covered in blood and it looked like he hit the windshield with his face. I don't think his air bags deployed." Rhett didn't realize he'd started crying until Link reached up and wiped away a tear as it slid down his cheek. "I'm being ridiculous."

"No you're not," Link said quickly. "Seeing something like that is traumatizing, you're just trying to process it."

"I don't even know the guy and I'm crying for him," Rhett half laughed half sobbed as he wiped furiously at his tears. 

"Because you're not a heartless person. You feel sympathy for the guy, it's perfectly normal," Link assured him and rubbed his back with one hand. They fell silent for a few moments while Rhett collected himself. 

"Okay. I'm okay now," Rhett sniffed and wiped at his eyes one last time.

"Do you want to go in and wash your face? Maybe get something to drink?" Link asked, nodding at the gas station.

Rhett nodded and sighed heavily, "I'd actually kill for a Dr. Pepper right now."

"Alright, why don't you go use the bathroom and I'll grab us some drinks." Link offered and Rhett gratefully accepted the offer.

Ten minutes later they were back on the road heading towards Rhett's appointment. They sat in silence until Rhett reached over and snapped on the radio. It wasn't long till one of their favorite songs came on and Rhett started singing along under his breath, Link started singing too and soon they got lost in the music, singing along in exadurated singing voices and making each other laugh. By the time they pulled into the parking lot they both felt better and Rhett tried to put it out of his mind for now.

They walked into the waiting room holding hands. Rhett checked in and sat down with the paperwork. Rhett had to drop Link's hand to fill out the several forms he'd been given asking Link the questions that were about him, he finished just a couple of minutes before they were called back.

"Are you injured?" The nurse, Carmen, asked as Rhett stepped on the scale.

"No, why?" Rhett asked in confusion.

"You have blood on your shirt," the nurse pointed to the blood stain in the middle of his shirt.

Rhett looked down in surprise, "Oh damn. No, no I'm fine it's not my blood. We witnessed a car crash on the way in and I got out to check on the drivers. I must have gotten blood on me when I leaned in to check one of the driver's pulse." Rhett quickly explained.

"Wow, were they hurt really badly?" Carmen asked as she showed them to their room.

"Yeah, one guy had blood all over his head and his pulse was weak, it took me a minute to find it." Rhett slid up onto the exam table as he talked and looked at his shirt again. "I didn't even realize I got blood on myself."

"I'm sorry you had to witness that. I used to work in the ER so I know how gruesome those scenes can be. Are you okay?" Carmen asked before scanning her badge at the computer and adjusting it to the right height.

Rhett nodded and sighed softly, "I think I am, but it was a lot to take in. I'm still processing it. The scary thing is that Link had just switched lanes to get away from the guy who crashed into the car in front of him, because he was tailgating us. As soon as Link got out of his way he immediately started tailgating the guy he hit. It could have been us getting hit." Rhett's hand settled absently on his abdomen.

"My gosh. I'm glad you're both okay," Carmen said before checking Rhett's blood pressure and pulse. "Your blood pressure is a little high, but I'm guessing it's because of what you've been through today. I'll check it again before you leave, hopefully it'll come down a bit." Carmen asked Rhett a few more questions before putting the computer back against the wall. "Alright, I will go let the doctor know you're ready and we'll be back in a few minutes."

"Thanks," Rhett said and swung his legs a bit nervously. "Now that we're here I've got butterflies in my stomach."

Link smiled and took Rhett's hand, "So do I. We're about to see our baby for the first time, I think butterflies are an okay thing to have."

Rhett smiled at Link and lifted his hand up to kiss his knuckles. "Do you have any shirts in the truck?"

"I'm not sure, I usually do, but I think I took them all out to wash them last week. I'll look when we get done here. There may be one under the seats, I didn't check under them when I was collecting the clothes out of the truck."

"Okay," Rhett sighed and looked down at the streak of blood on his shirt again. "Man I really like this shirt and now its ruined."

"I might be able to get the blood out if you want me to try. My mom taught me a few tricks to get hard stains out," Link offered.

"I don't know if I'll be able to wear this again without thinking of how that guy looked, but I'd still like to try and save it if you don't mind trying." Rhett dropped his shirt hem and smiled crookedly at Link.

Link smiled back and squeezed Rhett's hand, "I don't mind at all. Can't promise it'll come out, but I'll do my best."

"Thanks." Rhett squeezed Link's hand and looked around the room a bit until there was a knock on the door and the doctor and Carmen came into the room. Introductions were made and they all shook hands.

"It's good to meet you two today. I understand you're here for your first peak at baby, is that right?" Dr. Madison asked as she started washing her hands quickly before she sat down on the stool next to the exam table.

Rhett nodded and smiled excitedly, "Yeah we are! We've been looking forward to today for ages!"

Dr. Madison chuckled and turned to read the computer over Carmen's shoulder, "So your chart says you're a little more then 12 weeks along, we'll check to make sure that's right. Sometimes we have to adjust your due date, because the baby is either farther along or not developed enough."

"Oh, no I know the date I got pregnant. I bottomed just once that month and hadn't bottomed for months before that night," Rhett said with a blush darkening his cheeks a little.

"Oh! Okay! That's good to know, then we shouldn't have to adjust your due date any. Why don't you go ahead and lay back, unbutton your pants and lift your shirt for me." Once Rhett did what she asked she tucked a cloth into Rhett's pants and underwear and pulled them down a bit so she wouldn't get any gel on his clothes. "Alright, let's get a look at baby. This gel should be nice and warm for you."

"Oh!" Rhett breathed when the doctor squirted the gel on his abdomen and used the wand to spread it around a bit, "That feels nice."

Dr. Madison smiled and looked up at the screen as she started searching, "We do our best to keep it warm, nobody likes cold gel. There we are," she said to herself and started pressing buttons on the machine while she moved the wand around to get different views. "Alright, everything looks great!" She turned the screen a bit so Rhett and Link could see it. "This is the head here and the backbone. Baby is right where we want to see at 12 weeks gestation."

Rhett and Link's eyes were glued to the monitor, their hearts racing with excitement and smiles of pure joy spreading across their faces. "That's just amazing," Rhett said and looked over at Link quickly to see his reaction.

"Most amazing thing I've ever seen," Link agreed and kissed Rhett's knuckles.

"You ready to hear the heartbeat now?" Dr. Madison asked and both men nodded excitedly. "Alright." Dr. Madison wiped the wand off before putting it back in it's slot and turned to pick up a handheld machine. She flicked a switch to turn the machine on and pressed the new wand to Rhett's belly. It took her a few moments to find what she was looking for and once she found it the sound filled the room. They listened for several long moments before the doctor put the machine up and started to wipe the gel off Rhett's stomach. "Heartbeat is in the 150's which is perfect." She helped Rhett sit up once he fixed his clothes and sat back down on the stool for a minute. "Now I'm a little concerned about your blood pressure. Carmen told me about what you witnessed on the way here so I'm not very concerned, but I would like to see you again in a month so we can check your blood pressure and I'd like you to get a monitor and take your blood pressure at least twice a day until then, okay? Other then that everything looks great. Do you have any questions for me?"

"I was wondering if I could possibly get something to help with my nausea. It wasn't that bad in the beginning, pretty much just a couple hours in the morning, but now it's almost all day and it's hard to eat anything or to get any work done," Rhett asked.

"Oh absolutely I'll write you a prescription." Dr. Madison got out her prescription pad and asked if there was anything else, they said no so she got up and shook their hands again. "Alright, Carmen will grab your pictures and get you set up with a follow up. We should be able to determine the gender next appointment if you want to know. Have a good rest of your day." With that the doctor left.

"Give me one minute to grab those pictures and then I'll show you out," Carmen said as she tucked the computer away again before she also left. When she came back she handed Rhett the pictures and then handed him a piece of clothing. "I figured you may want to change your shirt. We keep extra scrubs around just in case. I figured you were a large."

"Oh wow, thank you that's really sweet of you," Rhett said as he accepted the shirt and pictures.

"I'll step outside the door so you can change then I'll show you to the front desk so you can get that follow up scheduled." Carmen smiled and slipped outside.

Rhett quickly whipped his shirt off and tossed it to Link before pulling the scrub top on. "Sounds like we'll need to stop at Walmart before we head home."

"That's what I was thinking. Luckily I have a list of a few things we need for home with me. Let's go get lunch first though," Link said as he folded Rhett's shirt meticulously. "Do you know where you want to go?"

"I want IHOP. I could murder a stack of pancakes right now." Rhett pulled the hem of his shirt down over his belly and noticed it fit a little tight, but it wasn't uncomfortable and he was grateful to get that bloody shirt off.

"IHOP it is then." Link got to his feet and took Rhett's hand in his. They got their next appointment set up before they headed towards the restaurant.

~*~*~*~*~*

A month later Rhett was in his office finishing up some paperwork before he and Link had to leave for his next appointment. He spent a lot of his time in his office lately, because he just didn't have the energy to work on the ranch like he used to. It happened gradually over the space of several weeks. At first he had kept up an almost normal work pace, but he started getting worn out after half a day of work and would need to nap after lunch. Now he was lucky if he made it even two hours outside so he'd pretty much stopped working outside and instead focused on the paperwork that he'd been neglecting for far too long. It kept him fairly busy, but most days he couldn't resist going outside to do something to help or at least just to stretch his legs. He missed the hard work he used to do, he just wasn't built to work in an office exclusively.

Link headed down to Rhett's office and found him bent over something when he got there. He knocked on the door frame and smiled when Rhett looked up, "You ready to go?"

"Just about I just have two more lines to fill out on this and then we can go," Rhett said, turning back to what he was filling out.

Link settled into one of the chairs opposite Rhett's desk to wait until he was ready to go. Link studied the man before him fondly and found a smile playing over his lips. The way Rhett was currently hunched over his desk you couldn't really see his growing belly, but Link knew the curve of it by heart. He loved watching Rhett's body change, his muscles were barely visible now and he had a small, but noticeable, baby bump which his tightening clothes showed off a little more than Rhett liked. Link absolutely loved the way his clothes looked on his big frame, but he also understood why Rhett didn't like it, which was why part of their trip today would include a stop at some stores to get Rhett bigger clothes. The last part of their trip was a visit to a birthing center to meet with a midwife.

Rhett had been doing research on different birthing options and he was really intrigued by home birth so he'd called a few places until he found one accepting new patients. Rhett hadn't formally decided to have a home birth, but the more he read up on it the more he felt like it was the right choice for him. He would be able to deliver in the comfort of his own home and wouldn't have to travel the two hours to the nearest hospital. Another plus of going with a midwife was that there would only be one, maybe two, other people in the room besides he and Link which meant a lot to Rhett. He wasn't ashamed of the way his body was changing, but he also wasn't entirely comfortable with the changes, so the idea of having just a couple people seeing him when he'll be at his biggest meant a lot. Instead of countless strangers during labor, delivery, and recovery he'd have one or two people who he'll get to know very well there meant fewer prying eyes and a more intimate delivery.

Rhett finished his paperwork and slapped the pen he was holding down hard on his desk. "Done!" He said as he got up and stretched out his aching back. Rhett's back wasn't in the best condition to begin with, but with the weight he was putting on and his hunching over his desk so much his back ached all the time now. "Remind me I need to buy a heating pad in town."

Link pulled out his phone and opened the app he used for shopping lists and added heat pad to it. "Got it on my list. Lets get on the road!" Link led Rhett out to the truck and they headed out. Their conversation flowed easily on the drive. They were almost at the doctor's office when Link asked the question. "Have you made up your mind about finding out the gender?"

"Nope, I haven't even come close to deciding," Rhett sighed. "I figure when the Doctor asks me if I want to know whatever comes out of my mouth will be the answer. That way we can all be surprised!"

Link chuckled and squeezed Rhett's hand, "Well I do like surprises."

Rhett threw his head back and laughed, "Well what about you? Have you made a decision?"

Link shook his head no as he took the exit they needed, "I'm fine either way, I figured it was up to you and I'd support your choice."

"Well you're no help!" Rhett huffed and shook his head. 

"Hey, I helped! Who sat with you and made a pros and cons list?" Link asked.

"That list was no help either. There were the same amount of pros and cons!" Rhett whined, "I even tried adding to it, but I couldn't really think of anything else. I just haven't been able to choose. Actually I've been having trouble making decisions across the board. I think all these hormones are messing with my brain."

"That sounds super annoying," Link said as he pulled into a parking space.

"It is!" Rhett agreed with a heavy sigh. "I don't know what else it could be, I rarely have trouble making decisions about anything, but I'm just so indecisive about everything all of a sudden. Even small decisions are hard and the only thing that's new is the baby."

"You should bring it up to the Doctor if you're concerned," Link suggested and shut off the engine.

"I don't know if concerned is the right word, more irritation then concern, but I was planning to bring it up," Rhett said before opening his door and stepping out of the truck. He stretched his aching back with a loud groan. When he straightened back up Link was waiting for him by the front of the truck. Rhett walked over to him and took his hand before they went inside. This time there was only one form to fill out that asked his symptoms which ones he had and how severe they were. He filled it out quickly and after about ten minutes Carmen called Rhett's name and took them back.

Carmen got his vitals, noting that Rhett's blood pressure was normal today, then led them to an exam room. She asked if he'd been checking his blood pressure at home and took the little book Rhett had been writing his results in all month. She asked a couple more questions before leaving to get the doctor.

"Its good to see you two again, how has everything been this month?" Dr. Madison greeted while shaking their hands. "How has your stomach been?"

"I'm still sick to my stomach most of the morning, but the meds you gave me are helping. I'm not throwing up as much," Rhett answered as the doctor washed her hands.

"Good. I saw the records you kept of your blood pressures, thank you for doing that. Good news is you were almost always in the healthy range we look for so you don't have to keep doing that unless you want to." Dr. Madison sat on her stool and sat in front of the ultrasound machine. "So if we can see are you wanting to know the gender today?"

Rhett paused for a moment before answering with a nod of his head, "Yeah, I wanna know." He laid back on the table and moved his pants and shirt to expose his bump.

"Alright, lets hope he or she is in the mood to cooperate with us so we can get a good look!" She said while applying the gel to Rhett's abdomen and started to take the measurements she needed. "Baby is growing right on track. Now let's see if we can get a look between their legs." She moved the wand around trying to get a good shot. "Come on little one roll just a little for me," she said softly and pressed a little harder in one spot. Rhett felt the baby shift away from where she was pressing. "There we go! Looks to me like a little girl." She turned the monitor and showed them where to look. She listened to the heartbeat next and deemed it right on target.

She asked if they had any questions and Rhett asked about his trouble making decisions and she explained why it was happening which made Rhett feel relieved knowing it wasn't just his imagination. Rhett also brought up his appointment with the midwife today and explained why he was looking into it. She encouraged his decision and said if he did decide to stay her patient that she wanted to see him back in three months for another check up. Carmen brought them their new photos and led them to the waiting room.

"We're doomed!" Rhett said as they climbed into the truck. 

"How so?" Link asked.

"We're having a little girl. She's gonna have us wrapped around her little finger. We are absolutely doomed," Rhett said with a little laugh.

"Oh no, yes she absolutely will. The trick will be not letting on that she has us wrapped around her little finger, that way we still have the illusion of power," Link said with a mischievous smile.

"Oh is that the trick huh?" Rhett chuckled and leaned over to kiss Link quickly. "I'll try to keep that in mind. Lets not tell anybody we know what we're having. If we do everything we get for gifts will be pink."

Link nodded and fired up the truck. "I will do my best not to spill, but you know how I am. I'm likely to forget we're keeping it a secret and spill the beans."

"I have faith in you." Rhett grabbed Link's hand and pressed it to his belly where the baby was kicking. "You feel that?"

"I do!" Link had felt the baby move a couple of times, but it was still very light, just a small flutter, this time he could tell she was kicking hard. "She's just kicking up a storm!"

"I don't think she liked being prodded very much," Rhett chuckled and smoothed his hand over his bump. "As much as I love feeling her move around she is now kicking at my bladder. Can we find somewhere we can stop? I gotta go."

"Of course. If I remember correctly there's a gas station at the next light. We can stop there, I need to gas up anyway. After that we can pick a place to get lunch before your appointment with Eliza," Link proposed with a squeeze to Rhett's hand.

"That sounds like a fantastic plan to me." Rhett kissed Link's knuckles and crossed his legs as tightly as he could. The three block ride felt like it took forever to make and Rhett barely let Link put the truck in park before he was bolting towards the bathroom. He just barely made it to the toilet in time. Before he left the Kum & Go he went to grab slushies for Link and himself and got in line.

They got lunch at IHOP before going to their appointment with the midwife, Eliza. "I think I want to stay with Eliza," Rhett said as they drove to Walmart to do a supply run before they made their way back home. "I really like the idea of having the baby at home."

"In the interest of being honest you having the baby at home, so far away from any hospital, freaks me out a little, but if it's what you want I will support you completely. This is about your comfort not mine," Link said as he took Rhett's hand and stopped at a red light.

"Yeah, being so far away from a hospital is a little concerning, but the thought of being in my own space with you there just gives me a sense of peace. I hate the idea of being in a hospital with a bunch of strangers poking around and being all up in my business. Having just Eliza and her assistant in attendance seems so much better." Rhett squeezed Link's hand in his and kissed his knuckles. "I want this to be a special experience and I feel like doing this with Eliza will give me what I'm looking for. I mean just the way the baby reacted to being prodded by the doctor today felt invasive. Eliza took a look at her and she didn't start kicking me like she did with the doctor."

"The doctor was a little more forceful with her, but she was trying to get her to move around to see her gender too," Link pointed out.

"I know, but Eliza was so much gentler with her exam. I just think Eliza will give me the birth experience I want. I can stay home and choose who gets to be in the room with me. In the hospital I don't get to choose who's there I just have to accept whoever they want to be there. It just sounds like a much more intimate way to give birth and that's what I want." Rhett explained.

"You won't have any pain medication. What if it turns out to be more painful then you expect and you want that?" Link was just trying to be practical, he wasn't trying to talk Rhett out of doing a home birth, he just wanted to make sure he took every point into account.

Rhett got out of the car after Link parked and waited to take his hand before they headed inside. "There is that, but Eliza gave me several pamphlets for different classes I can take to help with pain control. I like the way this one called, Hypnobabies, sounds. She said you learn how to self hypnotize during the contractions and we can take the classes online with the coaches one-on-one. Honestly in my opinion it's worth the risk to me. I can learn several different ways to deal with the pain so I have different tools in my belt in case one way doesn't work. I can deal with anything with you by my side." 

Link paused in his hunt for the items on their list and looked at Rhett in his eyes, "That is the sweetest thing you've ever said to me." He cupped Rhett's cheek and leaned in to kiss him tenderly for a moment. "I will learn anything you want me to learn to help coach you through the contractions."

"So then are you okay if I go with Eliza and a home birth?" Rhett asked, feeling a little nervous Link wouldn't agree.

"Of course I am. I already told you Rhett, this is about you and how you want to give birth. I'm a spectator in this situation so I will support whatever choice you make." Link gave his hand a quick squeeze before grabbing a couple large bags of dog food down. "I'm not bringing up these opposing points as a way to change your mind, I'm doing it to make sure you're thinking about them so you're making a completely informed decision. I just want to make sure you're thinking about these points as well so they don't blindside you later on."

"I'm glad you're thinking about them. You know I don't always think of everything. I have you for that!" Rhett said with a little laugh.

Link laughed a little as he crossed off the items they already got off his list and pointed them towards the next aisle they needed, "You know I'm happy to do it for you. Oh shoot I forgot Chase wanted some black nail polish. Wait here, let me go grab it." Link couldn't resist kissing Rhett's cheek and giving his bump a little rub before running back in the direction they'd come from.

"Okay," Rhett was glad they'd happened to stop by the lawn section so he could sit down on one of the furniture sets they had displayed. He had noticed his stamina wasn't what it used to be, now he looked to sit down whenever he got the chance as his back and feet ached from just the little extra weight he was carrying around already. He couldn't imagine how bad it would get as he got bigger.

"Excuse me, I just have to say. You and your husband look so cute together!" A woman in her twenties came up to Rhett and gushed at him with a huge smile.

"Oh! Thank you?" He was uncomfortable with the attention, because he just wasn't used to it. He decided against correction her assumption that he and Link were married.

"Are you expecting? I saw him rub your stomach like you are!" The woman continued.

"Oh, um, yeah actually we are." Rhett smiled nervously and placed a hand on his stomach. 

"That's so wonderful! Congratulations! How far along are you?"

Rhett looked around hoping Link would hurry and get him out of this nightmare interaction. "Um, I'm about 16 weeks along now."

"Really?! Have you found out the sex yet?! You can do that at 16 weeks you know?! By the way my name is Mary!" The woman offered her hand and Rhett shook it politely.

"I'm Rhett," he said deciding how to answer her question about the sex. Finally he settled on, "I did know we can find out the sex, but we've decided to wait to find out for now." He looked around again and felt relief as he saw Link coming his way. Rhett stood up to greet Link and smiled at Mary. "It was nice to meet you, we need to be moving on. I hope you have a good day." He pushed Link along the second he got close enough and didn't pause until they were out of sight of the woman. "Oh good God."

"What was that about?" Link asked as they paused and he could finally put the nail polish in the cart.

"That woman just struck up a conversation. Complimenting us and asking about the baby and stuff. I was so uncomfortable." Rhett rubbed his face and shook his head. "I was so glad to see you."

Link chuckled a little and rubbed Rhett's back, "Glad I could save you. Let's finish this list and get home."

They got everything on the list and pointed the truck towards home. Rhett ended up falling asleep on the way home which meant he had lots of energy to help unload the truck and help finish up the last couple of chores that Stevie and Chase hadn't finished when they got back. He worked for an hour before going inside and making a big dinner for everybody.

~*~*~*~*~*

Rhett found Link standing in front of the mirror when he got out of the bathroom pinching his stomach. Rhett stepped up behind Link and ran a finger down his back and kissed at his neck tenderly. "What are you doing hot stuff?" He asked Link, pressing his lips against his ear and whispering the question.

Link shivered a little and tangled their fingers together where Rhett had wrapped his arms around his waist from behind. "Just noticing I'm putting on a little weight myself."

Rhett chuckled a little and pressed his towel wrapped crotch against Link's towel wrapped ass, "Wanna work off some of those calories you had tonight? I think my increased sex drive is kicking in. I just want you so much right now I'm on fire all over wanting to feel you touch me."

"That's a question you never have to ask me twice," Link turned around in Rhett's arms and leaned up to kiss him slowly as he walked him back towards their bed. "You haven't really been much interested in sex lately."

"I know," Rhett said and laid down on the bed and pulled Link down on him. "Just haven't felt very attractive with my body changing so much, but you're turning me on like mad right now. Can't stop thinking of having you inside me."

"Oh and I get to top? Boy I'm lucking out left and right tonight!" Link yanked off his towel and tossed it aside before repeating the action with Rhett's towel. Rhett instantly spread his legs to let Link settle between his thighs and get some friction on his leaking cock. "Just for the record, I love the way your body is changing."

Rhett smiled and reached up to cup Link's cheek, "I know you do. I'm just having to learn to love my body. I think I'm starting to see my body through your eyes though. I can see it as softening because I'm growing with your baby instead of just getting fat. I'm falling in love with the curves instead of resenting them."

"Good," Link said and reached down to cup Rhett's side and give it a gentle squeeze. "Because I absolutely love all the new curves you have. Watching you grow with my baby has to be the sexiest thing I've ever witnessed."

Rhett blushed a little and wrapped his arms around Link's neck, "I'm just not used to having all these curves. I've spent so many years with muscles from hard work, at first I resented losing those, but you're changing my point of view."

Link reached over to grab the lube and spread some on his fingers so he could spread it over Rhett's hole and slowly pressed two fingers into Rhett to get him open for him. "I'm glad to hear you're not hating yourself anymore," Link leaned down and kissed Rhett slowly while he fingered him open slowly. "I don't want to make you hate such a beautiful body. It's changing for such a beautiful reason."

Rhett moaned and threw his head back while he rocked with Link's movement of his fingers. "I know. It's the best reason for it to change. I just wasn't prepared for it when it happened. Oh God Link you're making magic with your fingers! You could make me come just like this!"

Link smirked and decided to pull his fingers out, "As fun as that sounds, being inside you sounds so much better!" Link poured more lube on his hand and spread it over his aching cock then wiped the excess on the blanket before lining himself up.

Rhett wrapped on leg around Link's hip and linked his hands behind his neck, "Sounds like a much better plan! Fuuuuuuck!" He moaned low in his throat as Link pushed in slow and steady and lit Rhett's every nerve ending on fire in the best possible way. "Liiiink! My God!"

"Oh Rhett! You feel so incredible!" Link moaned in Rhett's ear before biting on the spot where his neck meets his shoulder. Link held still once he was inside Rhett all the way to give them a few moments to come down a little so they didn't come too quickly. 

It was then that Link's walkie talkie went off and Stevie's voice came over the line, "Link, I was checking on the horses one last time and it looks like Kylie is going to foal tonight. She's sweating, breathing hard, and pacing a lot."

"For fucks sake!" Link growled and fumbled for his walkie. "Okay I'll be out in a little bit!"

"Okay Boss."

Link looked down at Rhett, "You better finish this first!" Rhett said and smacked Link's ass. "I'll die if you leave me now. I won't take long to finish."

Link laughed a little and leaned down to nip at Rhett's lower lip, "You're nuts if you thought I was going to stop!" Link propped himself up on one hand and took Rhett's hip in his other as he started moving quicker than he had originally planned.

Rhett scratched Link's back as he rocked with his rapid thrusts and wrapped one hand around his cock, he knew he probably didn't need to, but in the interest of moving things along quickly he decided to stroke himself. "Oh God Link! I'm close already! God you feel so fucking good! Fuck me harder!"

"God you're so tight!" Link moaned and shifted his position a little so he could thrust harder and faster. He moved his hand to Rhett's chest and flicked one of his nipples knowing it would add to his pleasure since his nipples had become more sensitive lately. Rhett arched off the bed and Link felt him tightening around his pounding cock and a second later he saw his cock start to fire shots of cum and that's all it took to set Link off. He thrust a couple more times before burying himself as deep as he could as he started coming hard too.

They laid together gasping for breath and kissing lazily as they came together and then started coming down. It was several long minutes before they could separate and clean up. Normally they'd lay down naked and cuddle for awhile, but Rhett's main horse was about to have her foal and neither of them was going to miss that. They grabbed their towels off the floor and wiped up the mess they'd made before pulling on some clothes and heading out to the barn.

Stevie and Chase were waiting for them by Kylie's stall when they made it out there a half an hour after she'd originally called them. "How's our girl doing?" Rhett asked, he knew she'd do well she'd had several foal's already so she knew what to do.

"I don't think it's going to be too long now, she's very restless and breathing pretty heavy," Stevie said with a grin. "This is my first foal!"

"Come here girl!" Rhett called and Kylie trotted over to let Rhett stroke her head between her ears. "This is Kylie's fifth foal. She's a pro at this by now. I bet you're more than ready to have that baby huh girl?" Kylie snorted and bounced her head up and down at Rhett's question and started pacing around her stall some more. "All we can do is watch and wait."

The four of them stood around watching Kylie and talking with each other. The talk quickly turned to the wedding plans, in a couple of months Rhett and Link's parents and Rhett's brother and his family would be arriving at the farm for a week. They were having a judge come out to the farm to have a very small wedding ceremony with just their family a few friends and of course Stevie and Chase. Afterwards Rhett and Link were going to Niagara Falls for a week for their honeymoon, leaving Stevie and Chase in charge of the farm.

About an hour later Kylie suddenly laid down with her butt facing the group and they could tell she was starting to push. There was a sudden gush of fluid and they crowded around the gate to watch as she began pushing out her foal.

"She pooped! Do we need to go clean that out?!" Stevie asked in real concern.

"No, no it's normal. The baby will be pushed away from it don't worry. She will probably also pee, it's very normal," Rhett assured her and rubbed her back a bit. "There will also be blood and lots of liquid so don't worry."

They watched in total awe as Kylie pushed and pushed and pushed, soon she had the front legs delivered and a couple minutes after that they could see the tip of the nose poking out. Stevie was nearly bouncing with excitement. Kylie took a break, panting heavily and pausing her pushing for a moment, when she started pushing again it took a couple pushes and the head was delivered. A couple more pushes and the chest was out. She paused again to catch her breath with her next push almost all of the foal was out. Just one more push and the foal started to flail around, it broke through the sack surrounding it and took it's first breath. One last push and the entire foal was out.

"Okay, let me go check it over," Rhett said and opened the gate to go check on the foal. Kylie was already on her feet licking the horse over and helping get the sack off it. "Just want to have a quick look okay girl?" Rhett scratched Kylie's side and helped pull the sack off the foal and with that the baby got up on it's legs shakily. "It's a colt!" Rhett cheered and made sure its nose was clear before stepping back out of the stall. "Let's leave them be, we can get a better exam tomorrow and we'll need to pick a name. I think we narrowed it down between Chocolate and Blu. I'm leaning towards Blu. He seems like he's black like his dad, but we'll be able to tell better tomorrow when he's dry."

"I'm too excited to sleep!" Stevie said as they shut off the barn lights and secured the doors.

"Why don't you two come up to the house for a drink? I always like to toast a new foal!" Rhett suggested even knowing he couldn't drink alcohol. Stevie and Chase accepted and they all made their way up to the main house. Rhett poured three Whiskeys and got himself a Root Beer and placed it all on a tray to take out to the living room. "I remember her first foal, she was in labor for six hours and pushed for almost thirty minutes. I ended up having to pull the foal out because she was getting too tired to keep pushing."

"Have you kept any of her foals?" Stevie asked as she took the whiskey Rhett handed her.

"I kept her first foal. It was a filly, Jamila. Sadly when she was two years old she tried to jump one of the fences and she got her foot caught and broke it in half and I had to put her down. All her other foals I've sold." Rhett handed out the other whiskeys before sitting down with his root beer. He held out his bottle, "To our new colt!"

"Will you keep Blu?" Chase asked after they clinked their glasses and all took sips.

"Link and I actually haven't talked about it yet. We have two more foal's on the way we'll have to decide what to do with too," Rhett said with a pointed look at Link. "I'm tempted to keep him just because he's our first foal with you two here. I can be kind of sentimental with my animals sometimes."

Link shrugged with one shoulder, "I'm okay with keeping him. We have the room and I'm sure it would make Kylie happy to have him around longer then usual."

"She does always seem a little depressed after I take her foals away from her," Rhett nodded and shrugged. "Link and I will talk about it and let you two know soon."

The four of them stayed up for a couple hours talking a little more about the wedding and the excitement of watching the foal being born. Eventually Rhett crashed and Stevie and Chase took the hint and left and Link locked up after them and followed Rhett to bed after washing the cups. "You want to keep Blu?" Link asked as he crawled into bed next to Rhett and moved to cuddle him from behind.

Rhett shifted until he got Link on his back and could lay his head on his shoulder, "Yeah I kinda do. Our first foal as we get ready to start our own family. I'm feeling sentimental about him. Is that okay?"

Link smiled and kissed the top of Rhett's head, "Absolutely," Link said and took Rhett's hand in his. "We can afford to keep him, I see no problem with keeping him."

Rhett lifted his head and beamed down at Link, "Yeah? You mean it?!" 

Link laughed a little and he rubbed Rhett's shoulder, "Of _course_ I mean it! I wouldn't tease you about this!"

Rhett leaned down and kissed Link excitedly. "You're the best!" 

Link laughed again and kissed Rhett back, "It's not a hard choice to make, I see how happy it's making you. Makes it a pretty easy choice actually."

"Still, thank you! We can sell the other two if you want!" Rhett kissed Link several times with joy and moved his kisses down his neck a little, finding some interest in possibly retrying some slower love making now.

"We need to sell at least one of the other two, but Starlight won't be giving birth until right around the time you will be. What if you two give birth on the same day or the same week, do you think you'll want to keep that foal too?" Link let his fingertips trace up and down Rhett's spine slowly to let him know he was interested in what Rhett was doing.

"Maybe," Rhett hummed into Link's shoulder before rolling on top of Link and settling between his thighs. "I can't really tell you until we get there."

Link moaned softly when Rhett rolled his hips deliciously into Link's, "We having round two before we go to sleep then?"

"I was thinking we would," Rhett breathed in Link's ear as he let his hands slide down to Link's hip and cupped his thigh in his hand and lifted his leg up to wrap it around his hip. "Though if you top we don't have to use a condom."

"Oh I'm game for that proposition!" Link agreed and couldn't resist reaching down and cupping Rhett's ass in his hands and giving it a squeeze and then a smack. "You gonna roll over or am I gonna roll you over?"

Rhett pulled back to grin down at Link, "Wanna see if you can roll us," Rhett challenged playfully.

"Oh I can roll us," Link wrapped both his legs around Rhett's hips and quickly flipped them over easily. "I like having you under me."

Rhett ran his hands over Link's chest and leaned up to kiss his collarbone, "I'm growing fond of being under you." Rhett lifted his head to press a slow, tender kiss to Link's lush lips. 

Link lowered Rhett to the bed while keeping the kiss going and letting his hands roam over Rhett's chest and sides and hips. He ground his hips against Rhett's, silently cursing the boxer shorts they were wearing keeping him from getting the full contact grind he really wanted. "Gonna fuck you nice and slow this time." Link breathed with his mouth pressed against Rhett's ear as he reached down to remove the last piece of clothing separating them.

Rhett moaned and dug his nails into Link's shoulder blades with a shudder as their skin finally came into full contact. "Gonna hold you to that promise!"

Link kissed his way down to Rhett's shoulder as he fumbled around for the bottle of lube they'd left on the bed earlier and managed to pour some onto his fingers so he could lube up his throbbing cock again. "Wanted to do it earlier, but we got interrupted."

"Shouldn't be a problem now though," Rhett panted as he spread his legs as far as he could to give Link access and waited with baited breath for him to press into him at an almost teasingly slow pace. "Link!"

Link pressed kisses to Rhett's neck and shoulders as he eased into his tight heat inch by inch, making sure to really take his time so they both felt the slow slide of his penetration. Once he was finally inside Rhett all the way he shifted his position a little so he can hook one of Rhett's knees over his elbow to give him a better angle for his thrusting. "I love you so much Rhett," Link breathed against Rhett's lips as he began to pull out very slowly and push back in just as slow.

"I love you too, Link," Rhett moaned as Link split him open in the most delicious way possible. At this angle Link was dragging over Rhett's prostate and he could feel every inch Link had to offer. The pull of Link's cock over his sensitive nerves made him shudder almost unstoppably as pleasure soared through each nerve one at a time and lit him on fire from the inside out.

Link kept eye contact with Rhett as he took his time fucking in and out of Rhett, feeling no rush to speed up and get them off. His body was awash with the most intense pleasure he'd experienced in a long time. He felt so connected to Rhett moving at this speed and keeping eye contact like he was it was just this side of overwhelming. "God you're beautiful like this." Link gasped, unable to resist leaning down and kissing Rhett with his eyes open so he could keep eye contact.

"You feel out of this world," Rhett moaned when they broke the kiss. He reached up and dug the nails of one hand into Link's shoulder and the fingers of his other hand into his hair. "I don't think its ever been this intense."

"I'm gonna come soon!" Link warned as he picked up the pace just ever so slightly.

"Me too," Rhett moaned and tightened his grip on Link's hair. "Won't even need to touch myself. Fuck Link!" Rhett arched his back as the waves of his orgasm began to overwhelm his every sense and he started coming in his toes first and washed up over his entire body. His back bowed tight and his toes curled under extra tight.

Watching Rhett come under him was the last little bit of stimulation Link needed and he started coming too. His pace was still pretty slow. He pushed forward a couple more times before burying himself as deep as he could inside Rhett and unloaded harder then he ever had before. His hips jerked a little sporadically causing him to thrust in and out of Rhett a couple inches as he filled him up.

"Ho-ly. Shit." Link gasped, his face pressed into Rhett's neck where he'd collapsed from complete exhaustion when he stopped jerking with his orgasm. He very slowly pulled out and rolled over so he was laying next to Rhett so he wasn't crushing him anymore.

"That was incredible," Rhett panted, reaching out to take Link's hand and to tangle their one leg together while they both recovered.

"I can't believe how intense that was," Link said once he'd fully recovered and could move around and cuddle against Rhett's chest finally. 

"I can't either," Rhett yawned and wrapped his arms around Link's shoulders. "I wonder if my pregnancy hormones made it more intense."

"Maybe. Worth researching," Link suggested and stretched his entire body before reaching over and shutting off the light next to his bed so they were in the dark. "We'll have to shower again in the morning."

Rhett nodded and pulled their blanket over their naked bodies, "Oh yeah, we're gonna smell for sure after that. Love you baby."

"Love you too, Rhett. Sweet dreams." Link leaned up and kissed Rhett before they both settled down and fell asleep pretty quickly.

~*~*~*~*~*

About five months later Rhett was laying on his back with Link over him, his belly interfering in every possible way it could, but not stopping either man from carrying on with their naked make out session. "Link," Rhett panted when they broke apart to catch their breath. "Wanna feel you inside me."

"Are you sure that's a good idea?" Link asked a bit apprehensively. Rhett had been having contractions for the whole day on and off and Link wasn't sure having sex would be a good idea.

"Sex can actually help labor. My water hasn't broken and my contractions still aren't even regular. It'll be just fine. Besides I'm horny as hell right now." Rhett reassured Link while running his hands up and down his arms. 

Link laughed a little and bent down to kiss Rhett's shoulder. "If you're sure, I'll be happy to help you anyway I can."

"Knew I could count on you," Rhett sighed and let his legs fall open. "Let me get onto my knees, it'll be easier."

Link moved so he could grab the bottle of lube and so Rhett could shift around onto his knees. He handed Rhett a pillow to push under his hips and kissed his shoulder blade once he was in position. Rhett's sex drive had only intensified the bigger he got and they'd tried several different positions to try and find the best one for Rhett. On his knees proved to be the best, second best was on his side with a pillow between his knees. While Link missed looking into Rhett's eyes he found this position very hot and hoped they'd keep using it after Rhett gave birth. 

Rhett hadn't topped very much at all since he got pregnant, it was just too difficult with his belly and he found it wore him out too much. The last couple times he'd topped they'd ended up switching halfway through, because Rhett was just too worn to finish. Link didn't protest, he was just glad Rhett wanted to have sex at all.

"Gonna open you up now," Link said before spreading lube onto a couple fingers and pressing them gingerly into Rhett. 

Rhett moaned and rocked back into Link's fingers eagerly. One thing he hadn't told Link about liking this position so much too was he could have some control over the speed still which was good, because sometimes Link was just too gentle with him and it drove him nuts. "Mmmmm, feels good."

Link held his hand still and watched Rhett fuck himself on his fingers while he stroked himself lightly with his free hand. "Damn you look good like this."

Rhett grinned over his shoulder at Link, "Come on, enough with your fingers already."

Link pulled his fingers out and spread the excess lube on them over his cock before shifting around until he was behind Rhett and lining up. "I'm gonna be gentle, I don't want your water breaking on me. I think that would traumatize me for life."

Rhett snorted and nodded, still smiling back at Link. "Whatever you want to do, just don't keep me waiting anymore!"

Link lined up and pressed slowly into Rhett, taking his time to be gentle and set up a tender pace.

~*~*~*~*~*

Rhett was sleeping curled up around Link, not very well, but well enough until an extra sharp pain woke him up with a jolt. "Oh fuck!" Rhett gasped, wiggling his way out of Link's arms so he could sit up and rub his back, breathe through the contraction. 

Once the contraction passed Rhett was glad to see Link hadn't woken up yet. He decided to go lay on the couch and watch a little TV while he recovered. He checked the clock as he carefully slid out of bed and noticed it was nearly 3 am so he grabbed his pillow figuring he wouldn't make it back to bed tonight, there was just something different about this pain that had him thinking it might be time. 

Over the next few hours his contractions did begin to become more intense and actually started to come regularly so he could actually time them. By the time Link got up at 7 they were about 50 minutes apart.

Link rolled over and reached for Rhett and found his side of the bed not only empty, but cold and it instantly worried him. He got up and slid on his robe to go find Rhett, finding him in the living room sitting on his birthing ball. "Baby, you okay?"

Rhett held up a finger to Link as he breathed through another contraction. "It's time to call Eliza," Rhett said once the contraction finally eased.

"Contractions under an hour apart already?" Link asked in surprise.

Rhett nodded and used the couch to stand up off the ball, "They woke me up at 3 and have gotten trackable. Last two were only 50 minutes apart and they're undoubtedly getting stronger."

"Alright, let me go give her a call and I'll radio to Stevie to come up so I can let her know what's going on." Link immediately jumped to action. "Do you want me to get anything for you? Do you want your Hypnobabies stuff?"

"Yes please, but it can wait till after you make the calls. Will you also bring me another pillow?" Rhett asked as he laid down on the couch and un-paused the movie he'd been watching.

"You got it babe," Link leaned down to kiss Rhett tenderly before going back into the bedroom to get dressed and call Eliza and radio Stevie. By the time he was done and brining Rhett his iPod and pillow Stevie was knocking on the door. "Hey, come on in," Link said after opening the door to let her in. "Come into the kitchen we'll talk."

"Everything okay?" Stevie asked as she followed her boss away from where she saw Rhett laying on the couch.

"Yeah, I just wanted to go over a few things that need to be done today since I won't be out there to help you. I just called Eliza, Rhett's contractions are less than an hour apart and it looks like the baby is coming. I'm gonna stay in the house so I'm close to help him with anything he needs," Link assured her as he made himself some coffee and Rhett some tea.

"Oh really?! That's so exciting! I was checking Starlight when you called I think she's gonna foal today too. She refused to leave her stall this morning and isn't eating, seems restless," Stevie said as she took the mug of coffee Link offered her.

"I was afraid that might happen. Are you comfortable handling it if she does start to give birth today? You've seen a couple now."

Stevie nodded and sat down at the kitchen table across from Link, "I think I'll be okay. Not much to really do, but watch and make sure everything is going smoothly. If I have any problems I'll call Farmer Ted at the next Ranch for help."

"Okay and I'll give him a call when you leave to give him a heads up just in case." Link took a sip of coffee before pulling his little book he kept unusual jobs that needed doing written in out of his shirt pocket. "Today that fence on the east side of the main pasture needs to be fixed where Blu broke through it. I got all the supplies in the back of Rhett's truck, that was going to be my first task this morning to do. You need to fix the broken area and then start replacing the rest of it, the only part I expect completed today is fixing the hole you can take your time on the rest."

"Okay," Stevie said as she pulled out her own little book to write down the instructions Link gave her on how to fix it.

"I'll try to come up there in a couple hours to see how you're doing and you can call me if you need help. That's a quick enough thing I can probably leave Rhett to handle. Just make sure you or Chase checks in on Starlight at least every hour or so." Link went over the couple other untypical tasks he had written down that weren't part of their daily chores that he would usually handle while Stevie and Chase took care of the typical chores. "If you need me just call, if I can get away I'll come help. If not I'll call Ted to come help. Any questions?"

"Nope, I think I'm good. Good luck up here!" Stevie got up and set her empty mug in the sink. "I'll bring you lunch so you don't have to worry about it."

"Thank you, that's sweet of you," Link walked Stevie to the door and showed her out before turning to Rhett to check on him. "How are you doing?"

"I'm okay," Rhett panted from where he was sitting up on the edge of the couch breathing heavily. "Help me onto the birthing ball, that seems to be the only thing helping right now."

"Having another contraction?" Link worried as he helped Rhett move over.

Rhett nodded as he slowly lowered himself onto the ball, "Can't focus enough on the hypnosis tracks to sink deep enough. My back is just hurting too much."

Link moved around until he was behind Rhett and got to his knees so he could rub his back. "I'm done with Stevie now I can help. Maybe rubbing your back will help? Or getting into a bath?"

Rhett couldn't talk right away as the contraction reached it's peak. He moaned lowly and leaned back into Link's massaging hands and found it actually was helping. "That's helping," Rhett finally panted. "I thought the pain would go away in between contractions, but fuck me my back is just killing me."

"Why don't we get you back on the couch and you can sit or lay down so I can massage your back while you try your first track again? Amanda mentioned you may need that to get deep enough once the contractions got strong," Link suggested as he did his best to massage Rhett the way their Hypnobabies instructor, Amanda, had taught him and to not admonish Rhett for not waking him sooner.

"In a minute, this is helping the contraction in my hips. Is Eliza on her way?" Rhett rocked a little on the ball feeling it open his aching hips in a good way.

"She said she would be within the hour so she should be on the road anytime now. She just had to grab Lane and a new kit. Sounds like she had just gotten home from a birth last night," Link assured Rhett. "She told me she'd text me when she was headed our way."

"Okay, good," Rhett panted and relaxed a little as the contraction finally passed. "Contractions are starting to get closer. Only 40 minutes between them this time."

"Still plenty of time for them to get here." Link continued rubbing his back hoping he was being reassuring.

"Okay, help me back to the couch please," Rhett asked and held his hands out for Link to take and help heave him to his feet. "I'm gonna try and sit like this," Rhett said as he got onto the couch on his knees and lowered himself so his back was facing the other side of the couch and stretched his legs out in front of him. "Will you sit behind me and rub my back?"

"Of course I will," Link agreed quickly.

"And hand me my iPod, maybe I can get deep enough with you massaging me. I'm willing to try anything right now, my back is cramping so terribly, it's just one big knot." Rhett bent one knee and took the iPod from Link. He waited until Link was behind him before he rewound the Hypnobabies track he'd been listening to and put his ear buds in.

Link rubbed Rhett's back for almost 20 minutes straight until Rhett ripped out his ear buds with a low groan of pain. "You okay?"

"No this isn't working, I'm just hurting too much!" Rhett arched his back and groaned again. "Maybe a bath will help."

"Okay, let me go run one for you," Link said as he stood up off the couch.

"Help me lay down first. It's the only position I can get comfortable in right now," Rhett asked.

Link moved the pillow Rhett had been using under his head to the other side of the couch and then helped Rhett lay back on it and get on his side; he grabbed the other pillow and wedged it between Rhett's knees before handing him the TV remote. "You good?"

Rhett nodded and handed Link his iPod, "Yeah, this is a little better, thank you."

"Call if you need anything," Link said before kissing him quickly and heading upstairs to run a bath. "All ready for you," Link said, walking back into the living room to find Rhett sitting on the birthing ball again. "You having another contraction already?!"

"Yeah, fuck!" Rhett squirmed on the ball, trying desperately to find some kind of relief. All this pain was making him second guess his decision to do this at home where there would be no pain killers.

"Okay, I'm here." Link quickly got behind Rhett to rub his back some more while he tried to swallow his panic. It had only been 25 minutes since his last one, he was starting to worry Eliza may not make it in time. "Breathe Rhett, in and out, nice and slow."

"Slow breathing isn't helping, how did that quick breathing go?" Rhett close to whined as the pain threatened to make him start crying.

"Like this," Link started doing the quick Lamaze breathing they'd learned and helped guide Rhett through it. "That's it, you're doing great. Just like that. Is it helping?"

"Yeah," Rhett panted, the contraction finally starting to fade. "I'm okay. I don't know if I can do this Link."

 _"Link, I think Starlight is getting too tired and the foal is only half out."_ Came Stevie's voice from the table right next to them where Link had set his walkie talkie.

"Go ahead, answer her," Rhett said as he wiped at his tears.

Link grabbed for his walkie talkie, "Stevie, call Ted I can't come out right now."

"No, go," Rhett said quickly.

"No, you need me more right now. Ted and Angie are keeping their phones close just in case. You're my top priority right now," Link said firmly and got up to walk around to look in Rhett's eyes. He crouched down and took his hands in his, "I _know_ you can do this Rhett. I know it's getting hard and you're probably getting tired, but you're so strong, Rhett, you can do this."

"You should go help Stevie," Rhett tried to push, but looking into Link's eyes made him glad Link was ignoring him. "It hurts so much already, Link." Rhett let the tears fall freely as he squeezed Link's hands. "If it already hurts this much I don't know if I can do this. The pain's only gonna get worse."

"Come on, lets get you upstairs and into the bath that may help you a whole lot," Link encouraged. "I know you can do this. You're stronger than you think and I'm not going anywhere."

Rhett sobbed, but let Link help him to his feet shakily. He took some slow breaths to get his crying under control and reminded himself he could do anything with Link by his side. "I'm not doing this again. You're gonna have to carry anymore kids we have."

Link laughed and helped Rhett up the stairs, "That means we'll have to go back to using condoms when you bottom."

"If I ever bottom again, you mean," Rhett scoffed as he stripped off his shirt once they were in the bathroom finally.

"You like it too much now to stop doing it completely," Link teased while helping Rhett step out of his boxers.

"I could get my tubes tied," Rhett suggested after sinking down into the warm water. "Will you get in with me?"

"Of course, let me grab a bathing suit and my phone. I'll be right back." Link moved as fast as he could to change and get his phone. "Good news, Eliza said she just passed the halfway mark. They'll be here within the hour."

"Oh thank God," Rhett exhaled as he sat up to let Link get in behind him. "I like having sex without protection, but I'm serious about not doing this again. I'm gonna look into getting fixed." Rhett continued the conversation they were having before Link left.

"As long as it's not too dangerous I'm not gonna stop you," Link assured him, kissing his shoulder tenderly and running a hand over his big belly. "Is the water helping?"

"Yeah it actually is helping a lot. The muscles in my back are loosening up a whole lot." Rhett leaned back against Link's chest and let his eyes fall shut. "What do you think she's gonna be like?"

"Who?" Link asked caught off guard.

"Our baby," Rhett said with a smile. "Do you think she'll cry a lot?"

"I honestly don't think she will," Link said. "I think she's going to be a complete angel."

"Me too," Rhett sighed and sank a little further under the water of the extra long tub he'd had installed a couple years before. Right this minute he was thanking God he had decided to buy it because the water really was helping him unwind, so much so he felt like he was going to fall asleep in Link's arms. "I just really don't think I can go through this again. Pregnancy is hard and this pain is unbelievable."

"I know, baby, I understand." Link rubbed Rhett's shoulders and arms while they talked. "If you don't want to do this again you don't have to. I'd never force you to do something you don't want to do."

Rhett was starting to drift off when he let out a low groan and threw his head back into Link's shoulder. "Oh fuck."

"Contraction?" Link asked checking the stopwatch to see how long it had been. Only 20 minutes this time, with the way Rhett was moving he didn't think it would be much longer before they got to meet their baby.

"Fuck! Yes!" Rhett said through gritted teeth and then moaned loudly. 

"Okay, breathe, just like you were before," Link said and tried to guide Rhett through the quick Lamaze breathing again. "You're doing great."

"I need to go to the bathroom!" Rhett panted once the contraction passed and as he laid recovering with his head on Link's shoulder, panting heavily.

"When you're ready to sit up I'll get out and help you," Link said, still rubbing any part of Rhett he could touch to help soothe him.

A couple minutes later Rhett finally sat forward so Link could get out and stood up very carefully with Link's help. He'd just stepped out of the tub and taken two steps towards the toilet when he felt this huge pressure and then suddenly felt a gush of liquid flow down his legs and splash all over the floor. Rhett looked down and then up at Link in shock. "Did I just..."

"I think your water just broke," Link said in surprise. "Do you still feel like you need to pee?"

Rhett took a moment to take stock of his body and finally nodded in relief, "Good god I seriously thought I just pissed myself!"

Link laughed a little and grabbed a towel to wipe Rhett's legs dry and start drying the floor, "No, I'm pretty sure your water just broke."

"You gonna call Eliza?" Rhett asked as he sat down on the toilet to pee.

"I better. I'll be right back, don't try to stand up until I get back I don't want you falling on the wet floor." Link rushed into the hall, already putting his phone between his ear and shoulder as it rang, going to grab towels to dry the floor. "Okay they're about 30 minutes out." Link said as he hung up the phone and put towels down on the floor. "She said you can stay in the bath if you want. Do you want me to drain it and run a new one?"

"Not right now, I just want to go lay down on the couch and watch a movie or something. I'm feeling a lot better," Rhett said as he got up finally and flushed then moved over to wash his hands. "Will you get me that gown I bought for this?"

"Of course, give me a minute." Link darted back into the bedroom and grabbed the gown. He helped Rhett into it then helped him back downstairs. 

"Will you pull out the hide-a-bed, I don't think I'm gonna want to go back upstairs," Rhett asked as he lowered himself into one of their recliners. Link quickly started stripping the couch. "Once you do that, why don't you go out and check on Starlight, I'm worried about her, this is her first foal."

"Only if you're positive you'll be okay," Link said as he heaved the bed out and unfolded it.

"I will be, just don't take too long," Rhett assured Link and got up to lay down on the bed slowly. "And leave the walkie with me, because I won't be able to get up on my own if I have another contraction before you get back."

"Okay," Link said and ran upstairs to pull on some clothes before handing Rhett the walkie and rushing out to the barn. "How is everything?" Link asked Stevie.

"Link what are you doing out here? Everything is okay, the foal is out. How is Rhett?" Stevie asked from where she was crouched next to an exhausted Starlight and her brand new foal. 

"Rhett's water just broke, but he wanted me to come out here and check on you guys. Hey Ted, thank you so much for coming to help!" 

"You're welcome, Stevie did the right thing calling. Starlight was too tired to finish we just pulled the foal out and cleared it's nose," Ted said, standing up and wiping his hands on his bandanna to shake Link's hand. "It's a filly and she seems to be doing good. I'm gonna stick around a little longer, make sure she and Mom get on their feet."

"Oh that's wonderful! Thank you again! I best get back to Rhett, won't be long now till we have another baby! I'll let you guys know when she's here."

"She?" Stevie asked with a huge grin. "You're having a girl?"

"Damn it, oh well I guess the secret doesn't matter now. Yeah, we're having a girl. Don't tell Rhett I told you though!" Link laughed as he headed back up to the house at a trot.

"You've got perfect timing!" Rhett called from where he was sitting up on the edge of the bed. "Help me up so I can get on the birthing ball for this contraction."

"Glad I got back in time." Link rushed to Rhett's side and helped heave him to his feet and got him over onto the ball. "Star had a filly, they had to pull her out because Star got too tired. Ted's gonna stick around and make sure they get onto their feet. Do you want me to rub your back?"

"That's good news!" Rhett panted as he rocked on the ball. "Yes, please."

Link checked his watch before he started massaging the way he had been and was glad to see the contractions hadn't gotten any closer yet and saw Eliza would be there any minute now. "Is this any stronger then before?"

Rhett shook his head no as he breathed slowly, "Not really. If anything it hurts less now that my back isn't continuously spasming. I can feel she's moved lower though. Before she was up here," Rhett rubbed the upper half of his right side. "Now she's down here, I'm feeling her head now too." Rhett rubbed the underside of his belly and the lower half of his right side hoping to make the baby move a little, because the position she'd slid into was very uncomfortable for him. "I almost feel like I want to push."

"But only almost right? I'm not prepared to deliver a human baby. Foal or calf I'll deliver any day of the week, but our baby is a whole other thing," Link said trying not to freak out.

"Yeah only almost," Rhett let out a long breath as the contraction passed. "But I feel like I need to lay down. Sitting up feels very uncomfortable."

"Just don't start pushing until after Eliza gets here please!" Link said as he helped Rhett get back onto the hide-a-bed and put pillows wherever Rhett asked him too.

"I promise," Rhett laughed and patted the bed next to him. "Come lay down and hold me." Link quickly got into bed after taking his shoes off and pulled Rhett in against his chest and Rhett restarted the movie he'd picked. "I'm starting to get scared again," Rhett said softly after about ten minutes of silent snuggling.

"About what?" Link asked and started rubbing the back of Rhett's hand with his thumb.

"The birthing part. The labor has been so intense and quick and painful and I can feel how low she is, I know it won't be long until I really am gonna need to push and I'm getting scared." Rhett admitted turning to look at Link over his shoulder.

"What are you most scared about?" 

Rhett didn't answer right away, he thought about it for a few moments first. "That something will go wrong more than anything else. I'm so far away from any hospital, if something goes wrong we may not get to help in time."

"Do you remember Ted telling us about what happened when Angie was having their second baby, Ryan?" Link asked.

"Not really," Rhett admitted.

"Angie started to hemorrhage and their midwife was able to call a helicopter that landed on their front lawn. The helicopter got here in 20 minutes and Angie was at a hospital within an hour and she was saved. If something does go wrong I'm positive Eliza can get the same help to us," Link kissed Rhett's shoulder and wrapped his arms around him. "Eliza has been doing this for twenty years now, she's probably seen it all. We're in great hands." Link had just finished talking when there was a knock on the door. "Speak of the devil. We can ask her about that if you want."

"I do want," Rhett decided as Link untangled himself and got up to answer the door. Rhett pushed himself into a sitting position and smiled over at Eliza and Lane as they came in with their equipment. "Boy am I glad to see you."

Eliza sat her bag down and smiled brightly at Rhett, "I'm glad to see you too. How are you feeling?"

"Sore and tired, a little scared and very relieved that you made it. My contractions have been getting closer and closer and I can tell the baby is really, really low right now. Link was worried he might have to deliver her himself," Rhett answered ending with a moan as a new contraction started to build. Rhett reached out to Link and gestured to his back. "Rub, rub, please rub!"

"Contraction?" Eliza asked and Rhett nodded. "Okay, Lane and I are going to wash our hands and glove up, once your contraction passes would you be okay if I checked you and saw how you're coming along?" Rhett gave her a thumbs up and nodded as Link started rubbing his back.

Rhett lowered himself to lay on his right side so he could kind of curl in on himself and Link could reach his back better. While Rhett breathed Link talked to Eliza, "Right before you got here we were talking about what would happen if anything went wrong. Rhett's getting anxious about being so far away from a hospital. I reminded him about our neighbor's wife who had complications after giving birth and they were able to get her a helicopter out here. Can you still do that?"

Eliza crouched down at the side of the bed so she was eye level with Rhett and smiled at him reassuringly, "Yes I can. I have the direct number to the flight team. They're a 10 minute flight away from here and a 30 minute flight to the nearest hospital. The teams they have that man the helicopter are highly trained and every team has someone who is specifically trained to deal with newborns and birthing complications okay? If anything happens you'll be in the best hands you could imagine. I don't want you to worry about that okay?"

"Can't help it," Rhett panted with a sheepish smile.

"I know it's hard, but all I want you to think about right now is bringing your little girl into the world okay?" Eliza took Rhett's hand. "Leave the worrying to me and Lane, that's what we're here for. Deal?"

"Deal!" Rhett pushed back into Link's hands a little and breathed through his contraction until it had passed. "Okay, it's over what do you want me to do?"

"Lay on your back and I want you to bend your legs then let them fall open naturally," Eliza said as she got a pair of gloves on after moving the blanket off Rhett's legs. "Just like that, perfect. I'm just going to check how dilated you are okay?"

"Yeah that's fine," Rhett said reaching for Link's hand and squeezing it nervously. Rhett tensed up when Eliza started to examine him and turned his face to hide it in Link's thigh, it was very uncomfortable.

"Alright, all done. You did great!" Eliza pulled her hand away and covered Rhett again before Lane handed her a stethoscope and she listened to Rhett's belly. "Okay you are fully dilated and almost completely effaced so that means baby is ready to come out. You'll probably want to push soon, you just let me know when you do. I'm gonna get your vitals now just to make sure you're okay, baby's heartbeat sounds nice and strong."

\-----

Over the next couple of hours Rhett's contractions got closer and closer together until they were coming along with almost no break, but Rhett still wasn't feeling the need to push. Link stayed glued to his side rubbing his back and helping him breathe through the pain. Rhett was dripping with sweat already and he was close to tears. "Why isn't she coming yet? I just want to be done with this!" Rhett cried as he rolled into yet another contraction.

"She's just being a little shy, do you want to try pushing? We can if you want to," Eliza said as she got some chucks underneath Rhett to help keep the bed clean. 

"But I don't need to," Rhett groaned.

"You can still push even if you don't feel the urge. If you want to try you can, sometimes it can help," Eliza suggested.

"Yes I want to try!" Rhett nodded. "I just feel like she's never gonna be ready and it hurts so much."

"Okay, get into a position that feels right to you, tuck your chin to your chest and bare down like you're trying to go to the bathroom," Eliza instructed and she and Link helped Rhett get onto his back at his request. "When you're ready start pushing, I'll count to ten and then you stop and catch your breath. Lane get the oxygen please."

Rhett reached for Link's hand and took a few more breaths before he tucked his chin to his chest and started pushing till the count of ten. "Fuuuuuck!" Rhett cried when he relaxed back onto the bed. "I can feel her moving!"

"Is she moving lower or moving in your belly?" Eliza asked.

"Both, she shifted over to my left side now, but I can feel her head getting lower." Rhett lifted his head to let Lane put an oxygen mask over his mouth and nose.

"Okay, may I check you? I want to make sure her head is moving down the birth canal and she isn't trying to flip around on us."

Rhett nodded and closed his eyes as a new contraction built. "Go ahead, but I'm having another contraction."

"That's okay, this will be quick. Take a couple slow, deep breaths for me." Rhett followed instructions and Eliza very quickly pressed her fingers into him and pulled them back out. "Her head is firmly in the right place a couple more pushes like that and she should start crowning."

\-----

Fifteen minutes of pushing and still no baby so Eliza checked Rhett again and shook her head, "She's not moving much."

"She gets that stubbornness from Link!" Rhett deliriously laughed and laid back on the bed trying to catch his breath. "I need to rest, please."

"Absolutely, we're moving at your speed. Rest as long as you need. Just let me know when you're ready to start pushing again," Eliza assured him quickly.

Rhett looked over at Link and turned his face into his hand, "I'm so tired Link and she's not moving."

"I know, you're doing so amazing Rhett, just rest." Link bent down to kiss Rhett's sweaty forehead and gave his hand a squeeze. "I'm so proud of you Rhett, you can do this. I know you're doubting yourself, but you can do this."

Rhett caught his breath and gathered what little strength he had left and about ten minutes later tightened his grip on Link's hand, "I finally feel like I need to push."

"Whenever you're ready to start again," Eliza said with a smile. "Hopefully this means she's ready too."

Rhett shifted back onto his back and lifted his head, chin to chest and just barely pushed. He was so tired already it was hard to put too much effort into his pushing, but this time he actually felt the baby slip down even though he wasn't pushing that hard. "She's moving!" He said excitedly when he stopped to breathe again. Feeling her move gave Rhett a surge of energy to push again almost immediately. The searing pain suddenly caused Rhett to start screaming as he pushed passed the count of ten desperate to get this over with. He could feel the baby steadily moving down until he finally had to stop pushing to breathe again.

"I can see her head, Link do you want to see?" Eliza asked looking up.

Link peered down between Rhett's legs and saw a headful of dark hair. "Oh wow Rhett she's got so much hair!"

"No wonder why my heartburn was so bad!" Rhett laughed breathily.

"Rhett I want you to grab onto the backs of your legs, right here and here, and with your next push pull your legs into your chest okay? One or two more good pushes and we should have a baby."

"Like this?" Rhett asked and Eliza gave him the thumbs up. Rhett took a deep breath and pulled his legs into his chest as he pushed with all his strength determined to make this his last push. He could feel his energy leaving rapidly and he just didn't think he'd have enough to push again.

"Stop pushing!" Eliza said suddenly and Link looked down to see that the baby's head was out and something was around her neck. "Her head's out just give me a minute to clear her nose and mouth." Link fought not to say anything as Eliza unwrapped what he could only assume was the umbilical cord from the baby's neck then used a bulb syringe to suck out her mouth and nose. "Okay can you push for me one more time so I can deliver the shoulders?" Rhett nodded and gathered the last little bit of energy he had left and pushed as hard as he could. "Good good good good good good good! Almost... come on little girl! Ah! There we go Rhett you can relax!"

"Why is she blue?" Link asked in a whisper hoping Rhett wouldn't hear him, especially since the baby had yet to cry.

"Why is she what?!" Rhett asked weakly wanting to lift up to get a look at the baby, but not having the strength to do it.

"It happens sometimes," Eliza said as she grabbed a towel and started stimulating the baby trying to make her cry. "Give me the mask Lane." Lane handed Eliza another, much smaller, oxygen mask and Eliza pressed it gently over the baby's mouth and nose. Link's heart was in his throat the longer the baby wasn't crying, because he had seen how the umbilical cord had been wrapped around her throat, but finally about 30 seconds after pressing the oxygen mouth over her mouth and nose she started moving. Link watched with relief flooding through his body as the little girl's face began to crumble and she at last let out a loud shrieking protest. "There we go!" Eliza said and Link could tell she too was relieved.

"She looks perfect Rhett," Link said through his tears as he turned to look at Rhett with a grin. "Just wait till you see her."

Eliza pulled the mask away from her face and waited to make sure she was still crying, which she was, loud and angry cries and she started to pink up. Once she saw that she lifted the baby up and laid her on Rhett's chest with a big smile. "Link do you want to cut the cord?"

"Oh yes I do," Link sniffed and wiped at his eyes. He took the scissors from Lane and cut between the two clamps Eliza had put on the cord and told him to cut between.

"It's okay baby girl," Rhett cooed as he gathered the baby in his arms and started trying to soothe her instinctively. "I know you're wet and cold now, but Momma's here and I've got you. It'll be okay stubborn little girl." Rhett cradled her in one arm and wiped away his tears with his other hand. While Eliza delivered the afterbirth Rhett managed to get the new bundle calmed down so she was just laying in Rhett's arm staring at Rhett with the biggest blue eyes. "Hello Freya Grace, welcome to the world." Rhett beamed up at Link and reached to take his hand with his empty one, "She has your eyes."

"Yes, but she looks just like you," Link laughed and bent down to kiss Rhett tenderly. "You did amazing Rhett, I know how tired you were, but look at what you did. Look what you made and brought into the world. I am so proud of you."

Rhett kissed Link's knuckles, " _We_ made her together and I couldn't have done any of this without you. Here, take her, hold your daughter."

Link quickly took Freya from Rhett and tried to wrap her a little better in the towel he had to get her warm now that she didn't have Rhett's body warmth. Freya closed her eyes and almost instantly started crying again when Link took her. "Hey baby girl, it's okay. Daddy has you now," Link whispered and moved her onto his shoulder to pat her back gently trying to soothe her.

"I hate to take her away from you and normally I wouldn't, but I just want to check her over since she had her umbilical cord around her neck I just want to check a couple things. I promise I won't keep her long," Eliza said gently and Link handed her over.

"Because she had her what around her what?!" Rhett demanded fearfully.

Link pressed his hand against Rhett's shoulder, "When Eliza had you stop pushing she had to unwrap her umbilical cord from around her neck, but she's okay. She's breathing and crying and everything."

"Don't panic Rhett," Eliza said quickly as she unwrapped the towel from around Freya. "It happens and usually there are absolutely no lasting affects from it. Link why don't you go grab me an outfit to put Freya in?"

"You're sure about that?" Rhett asked once Link left. "She's okay right?"

Eliza nodded as she listened to her lungs and heart, "She's breathing just fine and her heart is nice and strong. I think that's what took her a little longer to take her first breath, but I don't think anything is wrong with her. I'm gonna have Lane clean her off and weigh and measure her quickly and then we'll give her back and give you three some room to bond okay?"

"You're sure she's okay?" Rhett asked as he lifted himself into a sitting position to watch them with Freya just as Link came back.

"I'm sure. I'm not going anywhere just yet okay? I'll stay until Freya nurses for the first time so I'll be here if anything shows up." Eliza tried to reassure Rhett.

"Okay, if you're sure," Rhett said and tried to calm down. "You should radio Stevie and Chase."

"Is it okay if they come up now or do you want to wait a bit?" Link asked, lifting the walkie talkie off the end table.

"Have them come now, I want to sleep for a bit," Rhett said before proving how tired he was by yawning.

"Hey Stevie come in," Link said into the walkie talkie.

_"Stevie here. How are things going?"_

"Good. The baby is here! It's a little girl, Freya Grace, you two have a minute to come meet her?"

_"We actually just stopped for a break so we're on our way!"_

"See you soon." Link put the walkie back just in time to take Freya back from Lane now clean and fully dressed and almost asleep. 

~*~*~*~*~*

EPILOUGE  
*SIX MONTHS LATER*

Link carefully took an almost sleeping Freya from Rhett to burp her while Rhett buttoned his shirt back up. "You gonna burp for Daddy? I know you're almost asleep baby girl," Link said as he laid her against the burp cloth on his shoulder.

"She always does," Rhett said with a fond smile. "Now if it was me trying to burp her then it'd be a 50/50 shot."

Link laughed and started patting Freya's back, "I wonder why that even is."

"You're better at it then me. I'm still scared I'll pat her too hard so I'm too gentle." Rhett adjusted his shirt a bit and yawned.

"I still can't believe she's here with us now. It's been six months, but I'm still amazed. She does something everyday that just makes it hard to believe this is our life now."

"I know, today she rolled over when you were in town! I was so proud and awed I just picked her up and danced around with her a bit."

"I'm sorry I missed that," Link sighed a little sadly, but he knew he'd get to see it soon. "Shall we take her up and head to bed? I'm beat."

"Yeah, I'm gonna do the dishes real quick then I'll be up," Rhett leaned in and kissed Link and Freya.

Link carried Freya up to her room and carefully laid her down in her crib after kissing her temple. "Goodnight my sweet girl." He whispered before shutting off the light and going into his bedroom right next door. When Rhett came upstairs he found Link standing in front of the mirror looking at his profile. "Busted."

Rhett laughed and moved to wrap his arms around Link's waist, "What are you doing?"

"Looking for a bump," Link said with a twinkle in his eye.

"Bump for what?"

Link turned around so he was facing Rhett and wrapped his arms around his neck, "Today when I was in town I went to the doctor for my check up."

"Did he find a bump? Was everything okay?" Rhett asked as fear threatened to choke him.

"No I don't have a bump yet, but I'm going to get one over the next few months."

"What do you mean? Why are you growing a bump?" Link didn't answer just smiled slowly at Rhett. "Are you okay?"

Link couldn't help laughing a little, "I'm not sick or anything, but think about it for a minute. Why would I grow a bump on my stomach over the space of say 9 months or so." Rhett mulled the question over for several long moments, his eyebrows furrowed in confusion until his face lifted in surprise and Link could tell he figured it out. "There it is."

"No, you're not!" Rhett asked with a gasp.

"I am," Link said while he laughed.

"You mean you're pregnant?!" 

"It appears I am, according to the doctor anyway." Link was beaming at the pure delight on Rhett's face. "I know we didn't really talk about doing this again so quickly, but surprise!"

Rhett leaned in and kissed Link passionately and held him close. "You're having my baby?! Really really?"

"Really really!" Link said.

"You waited all day to say anything? Why didn't you tell me sooner?!" 

"We've been running since I got back with either chores or something for Freya I haven't had the chance to say anything yet. When I got back Stevie and I immediately went to work on fixing fencing and when I came home it was dinner time and you were playing with Freya. Are you happy?"

"Of course I am! How did you even know to get checked out for it?" Rhett asked, pulling away to press a hand to Link's still toned abdomen he hadn't noticed Link throwing up at all like he had.

"I mentioned to the doctor that I'd been feeling sick to my stomach in the morning and he asked if I'd been having unprotected sex. We haven't done it much, but there have been a few times so he just suggested giving me a pregnancy test just in case and shockingly it came back positive." Link shrugged a bit and slid his hands under Rhett's shirt in the back. "I know it's a bit earlier than we had planned..."

"Oh who even cares about that. I'm just so over the moon! I love you so much!" Rhett kissed Link slowly and wrapped him tight in his arms.

"Come on, take me to bed and show me how much you love me," Link whispered against Rhett's lips and how could Rhett deny such a request?


	2. Part 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Link is pregnant this time and the guys get ready to welcome their new additions.

Link straightened up, took off his hat, and fanned himself with it. He'd only been working for a couple of hours, but the heat was so bad it was zapping what little energy he had left. Usually during this time of year it was freezing out, but they were having an intense heat wave and for December it was sweltering.

Link leaned backwards trying to stretch out the muscles in his back that were aching from bailing hay all day. As he did that he noticed Blu was trotting over to him with Starlight's filly, Millie, right behind him. He straightened himself up again and eagerly greeted the foals. "What are you two up to?"

Blu nickered and nodded his head up and down. Doing that made Link notice there was something pinned to his reigns, "What's this Blu?"

The envelope had _Daddy_ written on the front. He eagerly opened the note inside and read it to the horses, " _I miss you lots Daddy. Mommy says come home he has food and that you shouldn't do much in this heat._ Clever Rhett." Link smiled to himself and decided he was at a good place to stop. He'd already been thinking of knocking off and telling Stevie. He put his tools away and gathered his shirt and hat before jumping into the truck and driving back to the house, radioing Stevie on the drive. "Hi baby," Link called as he entered the house.

"Hey!" Rhett called back and walked over to kiss Link quickly on the cheek. "How are you feeling?" Rhett asked and rubbed Link's stomach.

"Worn out," Link admitted, rubbing his own tiny baby bump. "It's so hot out there. Where's Freya?"

"Napping. I just put her down," Rhett said as he leaned in to kiss Link a little longer. "You hungry?"

"Hungry for something," Link hummed and pulled Rhett in for a much different kiss. Long and passionate and full of promises.

"I thought you were all worn out?" Rhett panted when they broke apart. He reached down and adjusted himself in his jeans as his cock began to get a little pinched as it grew in anticipation.

"I am, but I'm not too worn out. Come on, it's been days. Freya is sleeping and we both are free. Let's slip upstairs for a little fun!"

"You've twisted my arm," Rhett laughed and took Link's hand to lead him upstairs to their bedroom. He took a quick peak at Freya on the way past and shut her door just to make sure. Rhett led Link right up to the bed and pushed him down quickly. "Sure you're not too tired?" He asked before crawling on top of him and kissing him hungrily.

"For this? Never," Link moaned into Rhett's mouth and threw his hat across the room before reaching for Rhett's shirt to start unbuttoning it. "Haven't had you inside me for days," Link growled between kisses, clothes flying off quickly, hands desperately seeking bare skin, Link's still a little sweaty, Rhett's A/C cooled.

"I know," Rhett replied pulling at Link's belt buckle to get it undone then flipped open his button and yanked down his zipper. "It's so different now with the baby. We only get so much time."

"I'm aware, gotta take advantage of every moment we have," Link pushed Rhett's jeans down over Rhett's ass to his knees and that's as far as he could get them. "Come on, jeans."

Rhett broke the last kiss and tore his body away from Link's to roll to the side so he could peal out of his jeans while Link did the same. They both yanked off their boxers too and Link moved so he was laying on a pillow, grabbing the bottle of lube before laying down. He waved it at Rhett and grinned playfully. "God you're sexy." Rhett quickly laid his body over Link, grabbing the bottle from him and another kiss.

Link ran his hand from Rhett's shoulder, down his arm, stopping at his elbow to move to Rhett's back. He moved from his shoulder again and ran his hand down Rhett's back, taking note of the way the muscles tightened a little at his touch and finally came to rest on Rhett's hip. "You make me feel sexy," he whispered in Rhett's ear as he spread his legs so Rhett could settle between them.

Rhett cupped Link's hips in his hands and couldn't resist rolling his hips against Link's a couple times, enjoying the intense friction it created. "You make me feel sexy too. The way you touch me and kiss me. When I was pregnant and uncomfortable in my body you always made me feel sexy. I just want to do the same for you." Rhett let one hand slide down Link's thigh until he reached his knee and cupped it, lifting his leg to wrap it around his waist.

Link moaned and arched his back under Rhett, his hands moving to come to rest around his shoulders, holding each other behind his neck. "Rhett you do. God you make me feel so many things. Right now I'm so turned on I could explode. I feel so desired it makes me want to cry and shrink away from it, but also arch into it and drink it in. You make me feel alive with your touch and the way you kiss me."

Rhett moved down to kiss Link's neck as he brought two lubed fingers down to press into Link very slowly, "You are everything to me," Rhett whispered in Link's ear. "And I want to make you feel that every minute of every day."

Link's back arched more and he rocked down into Rhett's fingers, relaxing to let them open him up to prepare him for his husband's girth. "You make me feel like that," Link moaned as he turned to jello in Rhett's hands. "Oh God Rhett I need you inside me. I need it like I need air."

Rhett couldn't help glancing at the baby monitor and praying Freya didn't wake up anytime soon as he pulled his fingers out of Link. "Do you need another finger today?"

Link shook his head no frantically. "I'm so ready, please Rhett."

Rhett leaned down and kissed Link as he hitched his leg up a little higher and lined his cock up with Link's entrance. "I love seeing you like this," Rhett breathed against Link's mouth before kissing him and pushing into him at the same time. Slowly at first, taking his time, he didn't want to hurt Link. His first few thrusts where slow and steady, giving Link a chance to stretch out and adjust to the intrusion, slowly he picked up speed until he was moving at a quick, but not rushed, pace, they had some time, there wasn't any need to rush this right now.

Link was squirming and arching wildly under Rhett, he moved his hands to grab his shoulders, his nails digging in, trying to hold on for dear life. "Rhett! Oh God! That's... Yes! Oh yes! Rhett! Fuck!"

Rhett kept hold of Link's leg with one hand and his hip in his other as he held onto him while he squirmed. "Fuck Link you feel good!" Rhett moaned and pounded into him kissing him as much as he could. After a few minutes Rhett decided he wanted to see Link take some control so he rolled them so Link was on top and he was laying on his back. He squeezed Link's hips and pulled him down for a kiss.

Link got the idea right away and started riding Rhett with enthusiasm. They kissed while Link bounced up and down on Rhett for a few minutes until Rhett decided he wanted control again and flipped them again. Link loved when Rhett did this sort of power play, it was always so much better when they switched things up a bit and didn't stay in the same position. Link wrapped his limbs around Rhett and kissed him hungrily. "Rhett! Fuck!" Link moaned trying not to be too loud and struggling with it.

"Want you on your knees," Rhett growled in Link's ear as he pulled out and slapped his hip.

Link rushed to get up on his hands and knees and looked at Rhett over his shoulder, "Come on big boy."

Rhett grinned at Link as he cupped his hips in his hands and pushed back into him and began to pound into him from behind. He draped himself over Link's back so he could kiss his neck and shoulders and steal a kiss occasionally. He couldn't resist biting Link's left shoulder with an inward thrust and it made Link yelp in a way that made Rhett do it again and again.

"Fuck Rhett I'm gonna come!" Link moaned throwing his head back and rocking his hips with Rhett's thrusts.

"Wait, roll over, I wanna watch you come," Rhett said and pulled out quickly and waited until Link was on his back again before pushing back into him and thrusting hard and fast. 

"Oh God Rhett I'm so close!" Link moaned, squirming under Rhett and adding more scratch marks to his shoulders as he edged ever closer to his orgasm.

"Do it Link. Come for me now," Rhett whispered in his ear and lifted up to watch Link's face as he reached down to wrap his fingers around his cock and pump him quickly.

Rhett's hand was all it took and Link arched his back and started coming while Rhett stroked and fucked him through it. "Rhett!" Link screamed as he came.

Rhett was close to his own release and he was thrusting hard, working to get there when he heard Freya start crying, "Not now!" He moaned as he edged closer, almost there. He knew Link must have woken her up with his scream and he knew she'd be okay for a few minutes until he was finished here, but it made it a little harder to finish. "Link I'm close."

"Come for me Rhett!" Link panted, rubbing his hands up and down Rhett's arms. "Come on baby, fill me up!"

Rhett pumped a few more times and finally started coming, "Ugh! Link!" He moaned, leaning down to kiss Link as he buried himself as deep as he could inside Link while he filled him up.

They laid there for several long moments, gasping for breath and coming down from their high until Rhett finally forced himself away from Link. "Don't go," Link whined and pouted up at Rhett even though he knew he had to go tend to Freya.

"Sorry baby, I gotta get Frey," Rhett said giving him one more quick kiss before pulling his boxers on and leaving to get their daughter.

Link got up to wash up a bit and put his boxers back on, he knew Rhett would most likely bring Freya back to the bedroom so he wanted to be ready and sure enough a couple minutes later Rhett came in with the little girl in his arms. "Hi baby girl!"

She smiled up at Link and Rhett handed her over, "She's up now thanks to you so you take her."

Link grinned apologetically and happily took his daughter, "I couldn't help myself. If you weren't so good at what you do I wouldn't have yelled so loudly." Link looked down at Freya and kissed her forehead, "Isn't that right baby girl?" She cooed a little and rubbed her face against his chest.

Rhett laughed and leaned over to kiss Link's neck where it met his shoulder, "I love you."

Link beamed at Rhett and leaned in to kiss Rhett's lips slowly, "I love you, too."

*~*~*~*~*~

"Rhett, come in, over." Link called over the walkie talkie as he bounced his daughter in his arms.

"Yeah what's up? Over." Came Rhett's reply a couple minutes later.

"Babe, I'm really sorry to bother you, but Freya is hungry and is refusing the bottle again. I've been trying for almost an hour and she's hysterical now. Over," Link explained as he tried desperately to soothe his screaming baby girl.

"Okay, I'll call Stevie to come take over and be home in like five, ten minutes, over."

"Thank you baby! Over and out." Link put the walkie down and shifted Freya so she was in both of his hands. "Oh baby girl I know you don't like the bottle, but you've got to get used to it." Link said as he bounced Freya gently and patted her bottom trying to calm her down.

Link had reached a point now where he just couldn't really work out on the ranch much anymore, so Rhett and he had switched places. Rhett was back helping out Stevie and Chase and Link was staying at home taking care of Freya and doing the paperwork that needed doing. 

Freya wasn't adjusting very well to the change. They were working on weaning her off breastfeeding and onto the bottle, but she'd only take the bottle about half the time so Link was forced to call Rhett in from his tasks to come nurse her. They were trying everything, they kept switching bottles hoping to find one she liked more than a couple of days, but so far had been unsuccessful. It had only been a week and Link was close to throwing in the towel.

Rhett walked into the house about ten minutes later and took his hat off and his snow covered boots. "Hey babe."

"Hey, I'm so sorry I had to call you in," Link said walking over to kiss him quickly.

"It's okay, this takes time. Come here baby girl." Rhett took Freya from Link's arms and lifted her up to his shoulder. "You have to calm down or you won't be able to eat little girl."

Freya began calming down slowly in Rhett's arms and a small part of Link felt jealous. No matter what Rhett and Freya had a deeper bond then he had with her and he couldn't help being a little jealous of that bond. He knew it was natural, but sometimes it hurt when Rhett was able to calm Freya down when he wasn't. He wondered if he'd have that kind of bond with the baby he was carrying.

"That's a girl, okay, let's get you fed," Rhett said and moved to sit in the rocker recliner in the living room to open his shirt. He got Freya latched on and looked up at Link. "For her next feeding try that bottle from Wal-Mart. I know it's not the best brand, but something tells me she'll like it."

"Okay," Link said and moved over to Rhett's side. "Oh! Give me your hand!" Link pressed Rhett's hand against the middle of his belly. "Can you feel that? It's so strong it feels like you should be able to feel it now."

"Oh Link!" Rhett looked up at Link with tears in his eyes as he felt their baby move for the very first time. "I can feel it. Wow!" Rhett wanted desperately to put his other hand on his belly to feel it with both hands, but knew he couldn't so settled for one hand. "Now I know how you felt feeling Freya that first time."

Link beamed and leaned down to kiss Rhett tenderly, "Isn't it just incredible?" He asked rubbing his belly below Rhett's hand. "I love the way we get to experience things with this pregnancy. Like when I felt the baby move for the first time, I remember you trying to explain it to me, but I didn't really understand until I felt it. I love getting to watch you experience everything I did with Freya and how I get to experience everything you explained to me."

"I love it too," Rhett said as he looked down to check on Freya, she was staring up at him while she nursed hungrily. "I can't wait for you to experience this part too. There's something unexplainable about the bond you have when you're nursing."

"I'm looking forward to that too, but I have a lot more to experience first. And something I wish I didn't experience, like peeing every five minutes. I'll be right back," Link kissed Rhett again before rushing off to the bathroom. When he came back Rhett was pulling Freya off his chest. "I can take her from here." Link threw a burp cloth over his shoulder and took Freya from Rhett.

Rhett buttoned up his shirt and got to his feet, "Alright, I'm gonna get back to work. Call me if you need anything else." Rhett kissed Link one last time before pulling on his boots and hat and heading back to work.

*~*~*~*~*~

Link snapped the car seat into the base and hooked the seatbelt over it like he had been shown and made sure it was tight before climbing into the driver's seat of his truck. "Rhett come on!" He yelled out to Rhett who was talking to Stevie a few feet away from the truck.

"Okay!" Rhett said and talked to Stevie for a couple more minutes before turning and getting into the passenger's seat. "Sorry I had to talk to her about fixing the fence Blu broke. She had a few questions."

"It's okay, we just need to get on the road or we'll be late," Link said as he waited for Rhett to put on his seatbelt before putting the car in drive and getting on the road.

\-----

"So what have you decided? Are we finding out the sex today?" Rhett asked about an hour into their trip as he reached back to give Freya a pacifier to calm her down.

"I think so," Link said as he changed lanes. "I really enjoyed knowing what we were having with Freya even though we kept it to ourselves. Do we need to pull over?"

"I think this should do it, let's give it a little longer she's just tired of being in the car seat."

"I'll pull off at the next exit, we can go to a gas station, use the restroom, and take her out for a bit." Link decided. "I could use a bathroom break anyway."

"Sounds good to me," Rhett agreed. "So are you sure about going with Eliza? I mean you were all worried about me doing a home birth before."

Link smiled and switched into the exit lane, "I know I was, but then I was part of the actual birth and what you had is excatly what I want." Link couldn't help rubbing his belly. "I want that intimacy you had, it was wonderful. The pain I try not to think about, but we have several tools under our belt now so I know I can cope with it and having you there will help. I just... When we were at the OB's office I was thinking about what you said before when you were pleading your case. If I have this baby in the hospital I have no control over who's in the room, who examines me, what meds they give me, IVs, and a whole list of other things, I absolutely do not want that. I want to be able to control my environment like we did with Freya."

"Yeah, I know what you mean," Rhett said with a fond smile. "I wouldn't change a thing about my delivery. It was perfect."

"See, I want that. Giving birth is a really personal thing, I don't want a whole bunch of strangers there. I don't want people making me do things I don't want done or I'm not ready for. I want to be able to say when and how I want to push not when someone else wants me to. I want to be able to sit in a bath if I want or walk around if I need to." Link shrugged and pulled into the gas station. "I put a lot of thought into this decision," he waited while Rhett got out to get Freya out of her car seat. He unbuckled his belt and turned around so he could talk to Rhett who stayed in the backseat, "I really gave it a lot of thought, I decided I want to have Eliza deliver our second baby too."

"I see you have put a lot of thought into this. I just wanted to make sure you weren't doing this just because I had. I just wanted you to know I'd support you whatever you choose." Rhett bounced Freya on his knee and took out her pacifier.

Link smiled at the pair, "I know you would have and I'm not doing it just because you did. Yes it's part of why I'm doing it, but not the only reason. Okay I need to run in do you want anything?"

"No I'm good," Rhett said and smiled at Link. "You go on, we'll be okay right here."

Link had barely left when Rhett suddenly heard somebody go _'awwwwwe'_ and then there was a young woman rushing up to the truck. "Oh my gosh she is so cute! Can I hold her?"

"Um, I'm sorry, but no, she's really not good with strangers right now. If you try to hold her she'll scream her head off and we just got her to stop doing that," Rhett said kindly. Rhett wasn't trying to be mean, but Freya only really knew Rhett, Link, Stevie, and Chase and when visitors came by the farm she freaked out when they tried to hold her and he didn't want to send her back into hysterics.

"Oh, okay. You must be such a good dad staying out here with the baby!" The woman said as she reached out to take Freya's hand. "How old is she? What's her name?"

"I'm actually her mom," Rhett said as he watched Freya carefully making sure she didn't start freaking out. "She's just over ten months old and her name is Freya." Freya looked up at Rhett for comfort and he rubbed her back and kissed her forehead, "You're okay baby girl," he cooed, hoping Link would come out soon. He unattached the woman's hand from Freya's by moving Freya over to his other leg so she was farther away from the stranger.

"Oh you're her mom? How does that work?" The woman asked and Rhett wanted to roll his eyes so unbelievably hard.

"I'm gay, I carried Freya in my womb," Rhett knew that male pregnancy was still _kind_ of new and that not all men could get pregnant, but he thought most people knew about it by now.

"I didn't know men could get pregnant!" The woman said in shock. "That's crazy! That can't be real?"

"Not all men can, but some can. It's a mutation that some of us have now," Rhett sighed and rubbed Freya's back and let her bounce happily on his knee.

"Is it only gay men?" 

Rhett tried not to sigh, he really didn't want to be sitting here explaining this to some stranger in the middle of a gas station parking lot. "No, straight men can have it to, they just either don't use it or use artificial insemination to get pregnant."

"But you and your husband or boyfriend used the natural way?" The woman pressed and Rhett ground his teeth together. "And you carried the baby?"

"Yes, we did," he said, not sure why he was still talking to her and answering all her probing questions. "And yes I did."

"Was it like a normal pregnancy? Nine months and all that?"

Rhett had been throwing glances to the door every so often and finally he saw Link coming out and he sighed in relief. "Yeah it was. I'm really sorry, but we need to get back on the road. I hope you have a good day," he said to the woman before turning his back on her so he could put Freya back in her car seat and hoping she'd be gone when he turned back around. He gave Freya her pacifier before strapping her in because he predicted she wasn't gonna be happy and he was right. She started fussing as soon as he strapped her in, but it was only half fussing as she also sucked on her paci, after a few moments she decided the pacifier was more important and settled down so he turned around, sighed when he saw the woman was gone, and climbed back into the front seat. "What took you so long?"

"I got a drink, line was long, why?" Link asked as he got back onto the highway.

Rhett told Link about the woman he'd had to deal with and Link couldn't help laughing a little, "Don't laugh at me! It was so awkward! I thought everybody knew about male pregnancy by this point!"

"Rhett come on, there are a ton of really small towns around here. It's not all that surprising that she didn't know about it," Link said as he tried his best not to laugh.

"Yeah well, she also almost sent Freya into a fit. She kept taking her hand and touching her and stuff. I finally had to move her over to my other knee to get her away from her. Why do I always have these kind of interactions with people?" Rhett almost pouted as he crossed his arms over his chest.

"Because you draw attention. You're 6'7 with a beard and cowboy hat and now you also have the most adorable baby on the planet on your side. How can you not draw attention?" Link laughed and reached over to force Rhett to uncross his arms by taking his hand. "Come on, it wasn't that bad baby. It sounds like you handled it beautifully."

Rhett heaved a heavy sigh and tangled his fingers with Link's, "Yeah, you're right she is the most adorable baby on the planet."

Link laughed and brought their linked hands up to his lips to kiss Rhett's knuckles, "It's over now, let's just think about seeing our baby."

\-----

"Rhett! Link!" Eliza said when she entered the room. "I wondered if it was you two when I saw my patient list today, but it says I'm seeing Link so I wasn't sure. How are you?"

Link smiled and moved his hand to show off his baby bump, "Yep it's me this time! We're doing great! How are you?"

"I'm doing fantastic! Is this little Freya! She's so big now!" Eliza said brushing a finger over Freya's cheek as she sat in Rhett's lap.

"Yep!" Rhett said with a big grin. "This is that tiny girl you delivered almost a year ago now. She's growing like weeds!"

"My goodness! Well congratulations first off. You two didn't waste any time! Let me wash my hands really quick and we can start the exam," Eliza said and got up to go to the sink. "So your chart says your about 16 weeks. Is it an exact date like with Rhett or an approximate date?"

"Exact," Link said with a sheepish grin. "It happened one night due to a little too much alcohol and not enough patience. We're usually very diligent with using protection, even more so after our ten month old surprise over there, but that night we just said fuck it and well here we are. Baby number two on the way!"

Eliza laughed as she dried her hands and snapped on some gloves, "Okay well I want to measure your stomach and then we can start the ultrasound. Now if we can see do you want to know the sex today? Lay back for me."

"Yeah we do," Link said as he laid back and lifted his shirt. He was already wearing Rhett's maternity clothes and quickly growing out of them, he felt like he was twice as big as Rhett was when he was this far along.

Eliza's face drew up in minor confusion, "Huh, are you sure you're only 16 weeks along?"

"Yeah, why? Is something wrong?" Link asked nervously.

"And you're only having one?" 

"As far as I know. We've only had one scan though. Why?" Link repeated.

"Well you're bigger then you should be. Your size is more on track with someone having twins at 16 weeks. Okay, unbutton your pants for me I want to get a look and see what we have in there," Eliza said as she pulled a stool and the ultrasound machine up to the table. "Nice warm gel here." She spread the gel on Link's belly and quickly pressed the wand to his stomach. "How far along were you when you had your other scan?"

"Only 8 weeks. Am I seriously having twins? How did they not see that before?" Link asked as he prepared himself.

"Well it could have been that they just didn't see the second fetus. That wouldn't be unheard of at only 8 weeks." Eliza fell silent and started pressing things on the ultrasound machine and moved the wand over both sides of Link's belly. "Okay so I have two things to tell you. First thing is you are having twins." Eliza turned the screen so Rhett and Link could see it and pointed out one spine, "Here is baby A and here," she moved the wand over to the other side of Link's belly. "Is baby B. They both look great, right size, right stage of development."

"You're kidding me!" Rhett said, laying Freya down in her car seat so he could stand up and take Link's hand. "We're having two more?!"

"That's insane!" Link said as tears pricked his eyes. "You said there were two things, what's the second?"

"They're both boys," Eliza said with a big grin. 

"Will this mean I'll have to see an OB after all?" Link asked feeling a little sad at the prospect.

"Oh no! We do multiple births all the time. Same rules as a single birth. As long as you don't have any complications during the pregnancy it'll be fine. Now we'll be a bit harder on what we consider complications with you and I'll want to see you a little more than I saw Rhett, but I don't see any reason we can't do a home birth right now," Eliza reasured them.

"This is... this is just amazing!" Link said with a laugh-sob as he wiped his eyes.

"You want to hear their heartbeats?" Eliza asked with a coy smile.

"Oh yes please!" Link said, taking Rhett's hand and beaming up at him. 

Eliza took out the heart monitor and switched it on. She placed it on the right side of Link's belly first and moved it around until the sound of racing horses filled the room. "Baby A is at 144, that's perfect." She held it there for a few more moments before moving it over to the left side and finding the second heartbeat. "Baby B is at 156 that's also perfect." She let them listen for several more moments before shutting off the machine. "Alright so do you have any questions for me?"

"Not right now," Link said wiping his eyes again. "If I think of any I'll write them down for next time."

"Okay." Eliza wiped Link's belly off for him and gave him some pamphlets on what to expect with twins. "I want to see you back in six weeks. Are you still working on the ranch?"

"Not outside. I stay in the house and do the paperwork and take care of Freya. Mostly I take care of Freya," Link assured her as he buttoned his pants and sat back up.

"Good, I don't want you working too hard. Having twins can be a little harder on your body, you may feel more tired then Rhett did, listen to your body okay? Sleep when Freya does, eat when you are hungry and absolutely no working on the ranch," Eliza said firmly. 

They finished their appointment, got their pictures, and headed back to the truck. "You gotta drive home," Link said and handed Rhett the keys. "I can't drive after that news."

"You okay?" Rhett asked a bit worried.

Link leaned against Rhett and kissed him, "I don't know what I am. I mean I've had a few times where I thought I felt two babies moving at once, but figured I was going crazy. I wondered why I seemed to be so much bigger then you were at this point, but never, not once did I think I was having twins. I don't even know how to process this news right now and I can't drive in this state of mind."

Rhett wrapped one arm around Link and leaned down for another kiss, "Okay, but that means you're on Freya duty."

They parted and got in the truck and headed for Wal-Mart for a supply pick up since they were in town. "Rhett what do you think about this news?"

"I am shocked for sure," Rhett said and took Link's hand in his. "But I'm overjoyed about it. We're getting two babies to love and dote over. I know it's going to be crazy with two, but I'm ready for the challenge."

"We do don't we?" Link said with a grin spreading over his face.

"Everything we've experienced with Freya now we get it twice over the good and the bad. I'm looking forward to all of it!" Rhett said with his own grin. "Plus we're getting boys which will bring all new experiences!"

"Yeah, it's gonna be pretty great!" Link sighed and kissed Rhett's knuckles. "I will admit though I am a little worried about the delivery. I watched what you went through and that was just one, now I have two I'm gonna have to deliver."

"Are you changing your mind? Do you want to do a hospital birth with meds now?" Rhett asked.

"No, no actually I don't. I still really want to do this at home. I think I'm gonna plan on doing a water birth though. The water helped you out so much and I think if it'll help me the same way I want to do that." Link had already been considering a water birth, but he had been a little nervous to bring it up to Rhett, but now that he was having two he was positive he wanted to try it. "I mean maybe the water won't help as much I don't know, we'll see once we get there, but if it does help that's what I want to do."

"Okay, that sounds like a good idea actually. If I ever do have another baby, which I highly doubt, but if I do I think I want to do a water birth too. I mean that bath really, really did help me a whole lot," Rhett said and smiled over at Link. "Do you want me to be in the water with you? If you do you know we can have a bigger tub put in so there's a little more room."

"I do want you in there with me," Link nodded. "If we can afford it I wouldn't mind having a bigger tub put in. I mean we both fit in the tub now, but there's not a lot of moving room with us in there. Having a bigger tub wouldn't hurt. Might help when we're just hanging out in the tub ourselves if you know what I mean." Link wiggled his eyebrows at Rhett and gave him a wink.

Rhett laughed and shook his head, "We'll look into getting a bigger tub right away then."

"I can not wait to tell Stevie and Chase and my Mom! They're gonna freak!" 

"Hey are we telling that we know the sex this time?" Rhett asked as he pulled into the Wal-Mart parking lot.

"Nah, I liked keeping it just between us last time. We'll just tell everybody we didn't find out. Though we may have to tell Stevie and Chase, I kind of let it slip to Stevie that we knew before the birth so she may not buy that we don't know," Link said as he unbuckled while Rhett parked.

Rhett chuckled, "I can trust Stevie and Chase to keep it to themselves."

*~*~*~*~*~

Link was standing in front of the mirror looking at his big belly when Rhett walked into their bedroom, "Freya is finally down," Rhett said as he wrapped his arms around Link from behind and kissed his neck. "That new tub of ours is calling my name. I think we should christen it."

Link laughed a little and turned around in Rhett's arms, almost six months along that wasn't the easiest thing to do now, "I was thinking the very same thing. Assuming we can figure out how to make it work in there."

"I was thinking about that actually and I think if you sit in my lap we can make it work," Rhett said with a big grin before bending down to kiss him slowly and sensuously.

"You just want me in your lap," Link giggled between kisses. "I don't know if I can do that anymore, but I'm willing to give it a go. Bathtub is already full and waiting for us."

"You dirty boy, you've just been in here getting ready for me?" Rhett asked with a slow grin as he started turning them in a slow circle.

"I even managed to finger myself open and get myself lubed up for you," Link said with a playful smile.

"Oh you really are a dirty boy. Would have loved to see you fingering yourself for me. What did you think about when you were doing it?" Rhett pressed open mouthed kisses to Link's neck as he talked and ran his hands along his mostly naked body.

"You," Link moaned. "I thought about having you deep inside me with all that water around us sloshing around as you fucked me senseless."

Rhett moaned in Link's ear, "Did you touch your cock?"

"I couldn't," Link panted and worked on getting Rhett's shirt off. "I couldn't do both, but I tried. Touched myself a little bit after I finished fingering myself though."

Rhett moaned again and let his shirt slide off his shoulders onto the floor. "I could get off at just the thought of you trying to touch yourself while fingering yourself open just for me. One day I'm gonna watch you do that just for me."

"After I have these babies I promise we'll make an evening of it. Maybe I'll tie you up so you can't touch yourself then I'll finger myself and stroke my cock for a bit before climbing in your lap and riding you till we both come," Link breathed in Rhett's ear making him moan again and shudder a little.

"I'm gonna hold you to that promise," Rhett breathed in Link's ear and took his hand in his. "Now come on, lets see if you can ride my cock still right now."

"Pants first," Link said, yanking Rhett back by his belt and opening it and his pants quickly, pushing them down to his ankles so Rhett could kick out of them. Link took Rhett's hand and led him into the bathroom where their brand new, huge bathtub was waiting full of steamy water and two towels were on the towel rack waiting for them to get out.

Rhett pulled Link in close again once they were standing next to the tub and ran his fingers along the waistband of his boxers before pushing them down, Link doing the same thing. Rhett cupped Link's face in his hand and tilted it up to kiss him slowly while his other hand slid down his back until he reached his ass. Rhett let two fingers dip between Link's ass cheeks until he reached his wet hole and couldn't resist pushing them into Link slowly. 

Link moaned and threw his head back, breaking the kiss as pleasure tingled in every nerve. "You should get in first," Link panted while Rhett kissed his neck and fingered him shallowly. "You should get in now."

Rhett chuckled softly and took the hint, he pulled his fingers out of Link and stepped out of his boxers then into the tub. He lowered himself into the water and spread his arms out along the side of the tub. "Let's see if my idea will work."

Link stepped out of his boxers and into the tub facing Rhett, he lowered himself onto his knees and walked until he was over Rhett's lap, "You hold your cock up and I'll see if I can sit on it."

"Okay," Rhett said and couldn't resist giving his cock a couple strokes when he grabbed it then helped Link lower himself down on it slowly. "You okay?" Rhett asked when Link was sitting in his lap with his cock buried deep inside him.

Link nodded and leaned forward to kiss Rhett slowly while he lifted up halfway then sank back down, just getting a feel for how it felt. "God you feel good," Link moaned into Rhett's mouth starting to move a little more.

Rhett moaned and wrapped his arms around Link's back and ran his hands over his skin, up and down his back around to his front to rub his stomach a little then back to his back. "So do you," Rhett moaned into another kiss as his hands finally paused on Link's hips to guide him up and down.

Link wrapped his arms around Rhett's neck and used it as leverage to bounce in his lap, "I can't do this long," Link panted, breaking one of a million kisses they were sharing. 

"Can you lean on the side of the tub on your knees?" Rhett asked, moving his kisses to Link's neck.

"I think so," Link panted, arching his back and tilting his head to give Rhett access to his neck. "Help me get up."

Rhett helped Link stand up, stood up himself and they switched places before Link got down on his knees and leaned on the edge of the tub. Rhett got behind him in the tub and kissed the spot between his shoulder blades. "You okay like this? Can you stay here?"

Link nodded with a shiver feeling Rhett's lips on his wet skin, "If it gets painful I'll let you know."

Rhett pushed into Link slowly, taking his time to really enjoy the slick slide of his cock into the tight hole. "Now I see why you liked having sex so much while I was pregnant. Having you on your knees for me is fucking hot."

Link giggled and looked at Rhett over his shoulder, "You've discovered my secret."

Rhett couldn't resist smacking Link on the ass as he bottomed out, "I'll have to get on my knees for you some after you give birth."

Link yelped at the slap. "I'm gonna remind you of that when the time comes."

Rhett pulled out as slowly as he sank in then pushed in a little faster and slowly picked up speed, he let his hands run up and down Link's back, alternating between left and right, always keeping one hand on a hip so he could pull Link down on him as he pushed back in. "God you're beautiful," Rhett moaned finally leaning down to kiss at the back of his neck and his shoulders and shoulder blades.

Link moaned and rocked back and forth with Rhett's tugging making the water slosh around them, but Link was careful how far he filled the tub so the water didn't spill out of the tub. "You feel fucking amazing right now."

Rhett kissed Link's ear and nibbled on it from behind as he started thrusting still faster, "Wanna make you come without being touched." Rhett wrapped one arm around Link's belly and could feel the twins moving around from time to time.

Link moaned loudly and threw his head back onto Rhett's shoulder, "Keep this up and you will. I'm already getting close."

Rhett moved his hand up to cup Link's newly formed breasts and tweaked his nipples one at a time. "Keep thinking about you tying me up so you can finger and stroke yourself. I can't wait for you to do that. I'd let you tie me up for that any day."

Link groaned when Rhett tweaked his nipples and reached behind him to dig his nails into Rhett's side. "Fuck. Rhett," He groaned through gritted teeth. "Gonna finger myself then ride you while you're still tied up."

"Oh yeah," Rhett grunted and thrust harder, snapping his hips roughly as his own orgasm began to build. "Want you to come for me Link." He rolled Link's nipples in his fingers, knowing how sensitive they were and how much pleasure it would bring for Link.

Link was squirming like crazy under Rhett as his orgasm nearly blindsided him when Rhett ran his fingernails gently over his overly sensitive nipples. "Rhett!" He gasped and started coming without his cock being touched.

"Yeah, that's it. Come for me Link. I'm gonna come too. I'm gonna fill you up, do you want that?" Rhett reached down after Link started coming and stroked his cock to help enhance his pleasure.

"Oh yes," Link breathed as he shuddered with his continuing orgasm. "Come for me Rhett. Fill me up. I love how it feels when you come inside me."

Rhett let go finally and started coming, thrusting in as deep as he could get one last time before doing what he had promised and filling Link up. "Oh God Link. Fuck I love you." Rhett moaned into Link's ear and kissed his shoulder feeling the only thing that could have made this better was if he could have kissed Link's lips.

They spent a couple minutes sitting like that, holding each other and panting until Link piped up, "Okay, my knees are starting to hurt. I gotta sit down."

"Okay," Rhett said and pulled out carefully, knowing that Link got sensitive lately after his orgasm and trying not to hurt him. 

Link winced a little, but that was it. He waited until Rhett was shifting back away from him until he turned around and looked to see where Rhett was. They had had the faucet put in in the middle so both ends were free and Rhett was leaning against the other end of the tub. "We gonna cuddle in here?"

"I figured we would for a bit before going to bed," Rhett said with a grin then patted his lap. "Come here."

Link moved until he was sitting in front of Rhett and laid his head back on his shoulder. "That was great, but the twins are kicking up a storm now."

Rhett reached down and placed both hands on Link's belly to feel the twins kicking, "That's their way of giving us a round of applause."

Link laughed loudly and smacked Rhett's thigh, "You're terrible."

"And you love me," Rhett said kissing Link's neck with a playful wink in his eye.

"And I love you."

*~*~*~*~*~

Link reached over to pop in a mix CD he had created then reached over to take Rhett's hand in his as they drove back to the ranch. Silently he said a quick prayer of gratitude that this truck had four-wheel drive The snow was really starting to come down and it wasn't a complete white out but it was very hard to see the road leaving Rhett to guess where the road was.

They were going into the city because Link had appointments every week to make sure there wasn't anything wrong with the twins. Link kept the music low in hopes of not disturbing Freya but also so Rhett could focus on the road. 

Link squirmed a bit in his seat trying to get comfortable, but he couldn't peg the right spot. He noticed he was grunting and mumbling to himself while he tried to get comfortable. "Babe, are you okay?" Rhett asked without looking around.

"I just can't get comf-ohhhhh!" He froze in place as this Braxton hicks contraction began to build.

"Breathe, baby, slow, calm. There you go, just breathe," Rhett coached Link like a pro while at the same time looking for an exit just in case he needed to turn back around. "You good?" Rhett asked as Link finally let go of his arm.

Link nodded and squirmed in his seat more, "That one felt a little different."

"Do I need to turn around?" To be honest Rhett wasn't even sure what direction they were driving in. He assumed he was heading home, but with this snow fall it was impossible to tell.

"No, I'm okay. Baby girl I'm sorry I woke you up." Link reached over to Freya and took her little hand to sooth her. "Your binky is right there just out of reach." Freya looked down and picked up her binky and popped it in her mouth. Thankfully as they left the city the snow let up and Rhett could finally see again. 

\-----

They finally got home after 6 pm, It took a couple extra hours to get home because the snow storm that just hit the city was headed towards them now. Link made dinner while Rhett went outside to help secure whatever needed to be secured along with Stevie and Chase. By the time he came back, a couple hours later, Freya was full and ready for bed. Meanwhile in the kitchen Link had removed a lasagna his mom had sent to him with instructions for defrosting it and cooking it. 

Link helped Rhett out of his sopping wet clothes and had his robe downstairs so Rhett could get dry right away. "Oh man it's getting bad. We might lose power."

"We have that generator if we do," Link said as he braced himself against the counter and did some slow breathing. "I hope to God these babies don't come tonight."

"More contractions?" Rhett asked and Link nodded. "Are they becoming regular?"

"Not yet I've only had the two you saw and three you didn't," Link carried Rhett's plate over to the table and sat down next to him while he ate.

"Are you not hungry?" Rhett asked before digging in.

"Not really," Link shrugged and rubbed his screaming lower back. The pair talked while Rhett inhaled his food. "I feel weird."

"Weird how?" Rhett got up to wash off his plate and put the lasagna away.

"I don't know how to describe it," Link thought for a few more moments before shrugging his shoulders. "Let's go to bed, I'm exhausted."

\-----

Something jerked Link out of a fitful sleep and he knew what it was instantly. He grabbed a pillow to bite down on so he didn't scream as the strongest contraction he'd had so far ripped through him. He knew it was happening today. He glanced at the bedside table to look at the time and groaned as he sat up. He felt a deep chill when he swung his legs out of bed and it instantly had him shivering. "Why is it so cold in here?" He asked himself as he put on his robe and went into the hallway to check the thermostat. He tried to flick on a light and nothing happened. There was this hushed manor of the snow covered house as it laid dormant. 

Their generator either didn't turn on or it had finally just quit working altogether. He would have to wake Rhett up to check it, but not now. He decided on lighting a fire in the living room, but before he headed downstairs to do so he went in to check on Freya. He could tell she was very cold so he grabbed another blanket to put over her.

Link waddled his way downstairs as quietly as he could so he didn't wake up Rhett or Freya. He opened the front door to see how much snow there was and it was a lot and still coming down. He decided he'd better call Eliza now because it was going to take her several hours to get out here in this weather and he was absolutely certain the boys were coming today. He hated waking her up at 3am, but she assured him it was fine, part of the job.

"Paige and I will load up and head in your direction. In the mean time listen to your body and keep track of the contractions. Worst case I can walk Rhett through delivering if we don't make it on time, but hopefully we can get there. The roads were cleared last night, most of them, it'll really come down to those back roads and if my four-wheeler can make it. Do you have any questions?" Eliza asked as she shuffled around getting dressed.

"Not that I can think of, fuck hang on," Link groaned as another contraction began to build. He did his best to breathe though it, listening to Eliza's soothing voice coaching him through it. "Okay, whoo. God they're strong I can't imagine they can get more intense then they already are."

"They will probably get more intense and painful as your cervix thins and you really get rolling, just remember your breathing and have Rhett rub your back, that'll help you get through it." Eliza went downstairs to find her husband making himself breakfast as he got ready to go plow some more.

"Thanks Eliza. Keep us updated on your progress," Link got down on his knees after hanging up and got the fire going in the pit then realized his mistake. He got down on the floor okay, but getting back off of it was an entirely different story. He didn't know if he'd be able to do it on his own, but in an effort he crawled over to the couch and was about to use it as leverage to pull himself off the floor when a contraction started to build. "Already?" He panted heavily and rocked back and forth.

"Link?" Came Rhett's soft voice from the top of the stairs.

"Yeah, you've got perfect timing," Link panted into the couch.

"Are you okay? Did you fall?" Rhett rushed to Link's side.

Link shook his head no, "No I got down to light the fire and forgot about the getting up part of my decision. I was about to try to get up when a contraction stopped me. Help me get onto the couch please."

"Of course, I got you." Rhett heaved Link onto his feet then helped him sit down. "It's freezing, did the generator not turn on?"

"I don't know I couldn't go look. I planned to wake you in a couple hours to go look." Link winced a little as he situated pillows behind his back trying to get comfortable in the cold room. "Eliza and Paige are on their way here."

"You think it's time?" Rhett asked while he draped a quilt over Link's legs.

"I know it is. My contractions are getting closer together and I don't know how to describe it. It's like these contractions feel different, like they have a reason if that makes any sense to you." Link shifted a little more before finding a sweet spot where he was as comfortable as he knew he was going to get.

"Yeah, that makes perfect sense, that's how I felt when I went into labor. Why didn't you wake me up right away?" Rhett asked as he pulled on his snow boots and grabbed his biggest jacket. 

"Wanted you to sleep a little more I guess. I was going to read for a bit and wake you up around sunrise. I don't know how you'll see anything out there even with a flashlight. I just figured I'd let you sleep a bit more, but if I'm honest I'm glad you're up now. These contractions hurt and I could use your help to get through them." Link admitted with a shy smile.

"Let me go try to get the generator running then I'll be all yours." Rhett bent down to kiss Link quickly.

"Please be careful out there. I need you in one piece." Link let Rhett's hand fall from his and watched him head outside, at least the snow had stopped falling at last.

\-----

Rhett clattered back through the front door about thirty minutes after he left. "Nah it's completely shot. It's not even making any noise at all when I tried to turn it on. Damn it is cold out there." Rhett glanced at the clock on the wall and grabbed his walkie talkie. "Stevie or Chase do you read me? Over."

It was Chase's voice that crackled over the line first, "Yeah I'm here boss what's up? Over."

"I need you two to go down to Jedidiah's farm before you start working and ask him to borrow one of his generators. Ours is completely shot and Link is going into labor so we really need power. Over." Rhett stripped off his thick jacket and draped it over the back of a chair to let it dry.

"10-4 Boss, can do, over," Chase replied.

"Thanks guys, come get the keys to Link's truck, it'll be the best to use on the roads right now," Rhett instructed. "Over and out." He tugged off his snow boots and turned his attention onto Link. "How are you doing?"

"I'm fine, haven't had anymore contractions yet," Link said and set down his book. "While they're there they should ask Jed if he'd come plow us out up to the interstate so Eliza can get back here easier."

"That's a good idea." Rhett lifted Link's feet up so he could sit down, set them down in his lap, and started rubbing them. "Did you check on Frey? I bet she's freezing."

"Oh, yeah I did. I got her one of her comforters and covered her." Link moaned and flexed his toes loving what Rhett was doing.

About ten minutes later Chase knocked on the front door and Rhett yelled at him to come in so he did. Rhett told him about asking Jed to plow them out too and Chase promised he'd ask. "When you guys get back and you get the generator set up come back here so we can go over the things that absolutely have to be done today and the few things that will need to be done differently. At lunch if you and Stevie want to pack bags you two can stay here in the main house until we get power back."

"Okay we will. That sounds good to me, I'll pass on the invitation on to Stevie." Chase replied. Rhett pointed to where the keys were hanging by the front door and Chase left.

\-----

"That sounds like Jed on his plow," Rhett said about 30 minutes later. He got up to look out the window. "Yep that's him. I'm going to go see if he wants anything hot to drink."

"Okay, tell him I said thank you," Link said nearly on auto pilot because he was being sucked into the book he was reading, even though he'd already read it several times. He was reading one of his maternity books they had bought when Rhett got pregnant.

"Would you mind if I helped them set up the generator? It'll get done faster and you only had one contraction while they were gone so I should make it back before your next one," Rhett asked as he laced his boots again.

"I don't want to be alone. What'll happen if Frey wakes when I'm having a contraction? You go, because you'll hook it up faster just have Stevie or Chase stay with me," Link said finally looking up from the book.

"Okay." Rhett gave Link a quick kiss and walked out the door just as their house phone rang. 

Link grabbed it and saw it was Paige. He quickly answered, "How are the roads?" He asked after they exchanged pleasantries.

"That's why we're calling. This idiot in an SUV just hit us because he was driving way too fast in this weather. We're pretty sure the car is fine, but we're stuck in a ditch. We've already got a tow truck on the way, but it'll take them at least an hour to three hours to get here. We wanted to let you know and get an update on how you're doing."

"I'm doing okay. My contractions are about an hour apart right now, but they're getting stronger each time," Link informed her. "Are you two okay?"

"Yeah, we're fine, luckily he only clipped us on the driver's front corner and we were only going about 20 miles per hour. He wasn't so lucky. He was severely injured and had to be cut out of his car. To be honest I don't think he's gonna survive. I was the first person to evaluate him while Eliza dialed 911 and followed me. He had a serious brain injury from slamming his head into the windshield and he wasn't responsive at all."

"Jesus, that's horrible," Link said with tears in his eyes.

"Yeah it was. That's why you don't drive 60 miles per hour on a snow slicked road no matter what kind of car you have. He just lost control, probably hit some ice and spun out." Paige shook her head sadly. "In other news, so far all the roads we've been using have been slick, but clear enough to drive on. Once the tow truck gets here and we get headed back your way we'll give you another call are you doing okay?"

"Yep, sounds good. Just as a heads up we're under another storm watch, but my neighbor is here helping clear our area, get the roads clear for us," Link was saying as Stevie came into the living room. Link waved at the couch by his feet in invitation for her to sit. He talked to Paige for a few more moments then hung up. "Good morning!" He said with a big grin. 

"Morning!" Stevie took off her boots and jacket. "Is today D-Day?"

Link nodded with a smile, "My contractions are getting stronger." Link explained hearing that Nev was awake and babbling away in her bedroom. "Fuck, hold on." Link was sitting on the edge of the couch riding the wave of pain as it peaked.

"Contraction?" Stevie asked. Link nodded and reached for her hand. She coached Link through his breathing until the contractions faded.

Link let out one last deep breath he didn't know he'd been holding. "You okay?" Stevie asked.

Link nodded, "Yeah. I'm good." Link assured her he was okay as she helped him stand up. "I'm gonna go get Freya, have you eaten?"

\-----

About an hour later Rhett came back from getting the new generator set up and running. "Thanks for staying Stevie," Rhett said as he stripped out of his jacket and boots. He gave Stevie a few instructions and Stevie asked a few questions before leaving to start her day. "Jed is an angel sent from heaven," Rhett said as he sat next to Link and took Freya from him. "His sons are too. Chase didn't even have to ask him to clear the roads he volunteered and his two oldest boys shoveled a path to the house while we set up the generator."

"That's so sweet of them!" Link said with a wince as another contraction started to build. "Eliza and Paige have been held up." Link told Rhett what had happened to them quickly as the contraction built to a peak. "These are getting closer together," Link panted, squeezing the hand Rhett offered after he put Freya down on the ground.

"Has your water broken yet?" Rhett asked as he rubbed Link's back with his free hand. Link shook his head no in answer while focusing on his breathing. "That's good. Hopefully they'll make it in time."

"If not Eliza said she'll walk you through delivering," Link panted once the contraction passed. "It's not ideal, but we may not have a choice."

"Lets just pray she gets here in time, I'm not too keen on the idea of delivering the twins myself," Rhett said with a little laugh while he continued rubbing Link's lower back. "Are you hungry?"

"Not really, but Freya probably is," Link said watching their daughter crawl over to the two of them and then pull herself up onto her feet with Rhett's knees. "She's gonna be walking soon."

"I know," Rhett said lifting her onto his knee making her giggle. "I'm surprised she hasn't started walking already, she's been pulling herself onto her feet for a week now."

"She's still hesitant to walk without one of us holding her hands, but she's been contemplating it. I've caught her a couple times standing by the table near the edge and going to take a step, but she keeps second guessing herself and gets onto her knees instead." Link said as he shifted back into the pillows he had behind his back. "I'm kind of glad she hasn't started walking yet, I'd never be able to keep up with her."

"That's true. You wouldn't be able to chase after her yet," Rhett said and stood up, swinging Freya onto his hip. "I'm gonna get her breakfast, are you sure you don't want anything?"

"I just want a ginger ale right now, please," Link replied as he kicked his feet back onto the couch.

"Sure. I'll be right back." Rhett got Freya into her highchair before taking a bottle of ginger ale out to Link.

\-----

"Fuck!" Link groaned as another contraction started to build. It had been a couple of hours since Rhett came back inside and the contractions were getting closer together with each one. 

"Another one?" Rhett asked, moving quickly to rub Link's lower back and to talk him through his breathing. "How long did Paige said they were going to be?"

"At least an hour or two," Link grunted. Paige had called them about half an hour earlier to let them know they were back on the road and headed their way. Link had been relieved, believing they'd make it in time, but now he wasn't so sure. His contractions were about ten minutes apart now and as this one hit its peak he felt a sudden gush of fluid. "I think my water just broke!" He panted while he tried to breathe the way Rhett was telling him too.

"Okay, that's fine. We'll get you cleaned up after this contraction passes. Just breathe baby, come on do it with me," Rhett prompted digging the heal of his hand into the spot Link had pointed out a few contractions before where his pain was most intense.

Link moaned and leaned back into Rhett's hand to get even more pressure on that spot. He copied Rhett's breathing until the contraction finally passed. "Okay, its gone now." Link said with a long exhale. "I feel gross now. Will you run the bath for me?"

"Of course!" Rhett said and quickly went upstairs. Jedidiah's wife, Emily, had called and offered to pick up Freya to watch her until after the twins had come, Rhett had gratefully accepted and she'd driven down with her two younger kids to pick up Freya. Luckily Freya loved Emily so she was excited to see her and didn't get upset when Rhett laid her in her car seat once it was in Emily's van. Rhett knew she'd have a blast with the other kids and was grateful to be able to focus all his energy on helping Link as best he could.

Link followed Rhett upstairs slowly so he could strip out of his wet clothes and was laying in bed when he came back into the bedroom. "Ready?" 

Rhett nodded and offered his hand to help Link stand back up, "I didn't fill it all the way. Do you want me to sit in the water with you?"

"Yes please," Link said as he stood up then immediately sat back down as a new contraction started to build. He moaned and leaned against Rhett, burying his face in Rhett's stomach. "Fuuuuuck!"

Rhett looked at his watch to see how long it had been since his last one and saw they were still about ten minutes apart, which was good and bad. Good because it meant they still had some time before he'd want to start pushing, bad because it wouldn't be long before he needed to start pushing. Rhett decided he'd give Paige a call to update them and see how close they were after this contraction passed. For now he rub his back as best he could at this angle and talked Link through his breathing. "You okay?" He asked when Link finally pulled away.

Link nodded and wiped his watering eyes, "Yeah, they're just getting really painful and intense now."

"Let me go grab the phone and change into my swimming trunks and then we can get in the bath okay?" Rhett asked Link who nodded and got back into bed to lay down. Rhett dialed Paige as he walked back upstairs to change. 

"What did Paige say?" Link asked once Rhett had hung up.

"They said it'll be at least another hour before they get here, the roads are getting harder to navigate now," Rhett said as he pulled on his trunks. "How are you feeling?"

"Sore and sticky," Link admitted as he sat up and threw his feet over the edge of the bed. "But I don't feel like I need to start pushing yet."

"Let me help you," Rhett said, quickly rushing to Link's side. "Lets hope you don't need to push until they can get here."

"We can hope," Link agreed and let Rhett help him to his feet. Both men went into the bathroom and Rhett helped Link step into the bath first then quickly got in himself and sat down against the side of the tub while Link lowered himself into the water. Link sat in front of Rhett and let his head fall back to rest on Rhett's shoulder. They sat in a comfortable silence for about tewnty minutes, only talking when Rhett was guiding Link through his breathing. "I think I can feel one of the boy's head entering the birth canal. It feels weird." Link said as his contraction passed.

"Are you feeling the need to push?" Rhett asked worried, it had only been five minutes since his last contraction, they were rapidly getting closer together and Rhett had a feeling he was going to have to deliver at least one of the twins.

"Kind of," Link groaned running a hand over his stomach as he dropped his head against Rhett's shoulder again. "I feel like I'm going to need to push soon."

"Okay, let me call Paige. Sit up a little," Rhett said and waited for Link to sit up so he could stretch out and grab the phone. He explained what Link had told him and listened to Paige's instructions. "Okay, hang on. Babe can I check you? See if I can feel a head?"

Link nodded and sat up so Rhett could get out from behind him in the tub. He slid backwards until his back was against the warm tub and spread his legs so Rhett could check him. "Another one is coming," Link groaned. "I need to push, Rhett."

"I felt a head," Rhett said into the phone after pulling his hand back and washing it in the water. "Yeah he says he needs to push."

"Rhett, I really need to push!" Link groaned, fighting the urge as best he could until Rhett said it was okay.

"Go ahead baby. Push if you need to push," Rhett said, getting back into the tub this time in front of Link and listening to Paige's instructions. He put the phone on speaker and set it on the floor next to the tub. "Can you hear me?"

"Yes I can, can you hear me?" Paige asked.

"Yes," Rhett said and placed his hands on Link's bent knees. "Link you can push if you need to. Paige is going to walk me through what to do."

"I really need to," Link said, looking up at Rhett with wet eyes. "I'm sorry."

"Nothing to be sorry for. Listen to your body and push if you need to push. I've got you," Rhett assured Link and smiled at him.

Link nodded and did what felt right. He started pushing, chin tucked to his chest, as his contraction peaked. "Fuuuuck!" He growled while he pushed because the pain was so intense and he could feel the baby moving down.

Rhett looked between Link's legs to see if he could see anything yet and was shocked to see hair already. "Oh! I can already see the head!" Rhett called towards the phone and paused to listen to Paige's instructions. 

Link stopped pushing with a grunt and tried to catch his breath. "You can really see a head already?" He was surprised, because Rhett had had to push for almost twenty minutes before the head became visible and he'd only pushed once.

"Yeah I can!" Rhett said with an encouraging smile. "I bet this baby will be out in just a couple pushes."

"Oh wow," Link panted, trying desperately to catch his breath before he had to push again. "I gotta push again!" He panted a couple minutes later.

"Go ahead, Link, do whatever your body is telling you to do." Rhett bent down and kissed Link's knee and gave his hand a squeeze. "I'm right here, we got this." Link nodded, took a deep breath, and started pushing again. He had no clue if he was even pushing the right way, but he was listening to what his body wanted to do and soon he felt the baby moving so he assumed he was doing it right. "Paige the head is coming out now," Rhett said towards his phone.

"Okay put one hand under the head to support it as it comes out. When the head is out have Link stop pushing so you can clean out the mouth with your finger," Paige instructed.

"Okay," Rhett said and put one hand down so he could catch the back of the baby's head. "Okay Link stop for a minute." Rhett said quickly and got his finger into the baby's mouth and swept out trying to clean it out. "Okay I think I got everything, Link you can push again."

"He'll have to push to deliver the shoulders, but once they're out the baby should just slide free. We're almost to you. We just turned off the interstate and the road looks clear."

"We're gonna have to buy Jed something special," Rhett said to Link making him laugh breathlessly as he kept pushing. "Shoulders are almost out Link, you're doing great!" Rhett put his other hand under the baby to get a better grip on him and pulled very gently to help Link get the shoulders out. "He's out!" Rhett said and quickly lifted the baby above the water and grabbed a towel so he could dry him off, the gentle rubbing of the towel stimulated the baby and he let out a loud wail. "He's perfect Link," Rhett said and laid the baby on Link's chest just above the water.

"Is he okay?" Link asked as he wrapped an arm around the tiny body and rubbed his back trying to soothe him.

"He's crying and moving. I think he's fine," Rhett assured Link and laid the towel over the baby's back to try and keep him warm. "You did an amazing job."

Link wiped tears from his eyes and smiled up at Rhett. "You just delivered your first son."

Rhett chuckled and rubbed Link's leg, "Yeah I did, didn't I?"

"He's smaller then Freya was," Link pointed out as he got the little boy calm again so he was no longer crying, just snuggling into Link's chest and grunting here and there.

"Yeah he is, I'm sure both of them will be. Less room in there for them to grow," Rhett said with a smile as he picked up the phone and took it off speaker. "Okay great, the door is unlocked, we're upstairs in the bedroom at the end of the hall to the right. We're in the bathroom inside the room. They just pulled up," Rhett told Link as he hung up the phone.

"Good, I'm having another contraction," Link said calmly as the contraction built. 

"Do you need me to take Lincoln?" Rhett asked and when Link nodded he carefully wrapped the towel around the little boy and picked him up, wrapping him completely in the towel to keep him warm. The little boy was already fast asleep and barely stirred as Rhett moved him. "Welcome to the family Charles Lincoln Neal the fourth."

"McLaughlin-Neal," Link panted as the contraction passed. "We'll hyphenate like we did with Freya."

"Really? You sure?" Rhett could hear footsteps on the stairs and felt a wave of relief wash over him.

"He's your son too Rhett, of course I'm sure." Link smiled up at Rhett and shifted in the water a little as Eliza and Paige came into the room.

Rhett beamed at Link as he let Paige take the baby after he cut the cord. "Do you want me to get behind you again?"

Link nodded and sat up to give Rhett room to get in behind him. "How is he?" Link asked Eliza once Rhett was settled behind him again.

"He's perfect," Eliza said with a big grin. "We're gonna swaddle him in a blanket and lay him down in the bassinet you have by the bed while we deliver his brother, okay? How are you feeling? Need to push yet?"

Link nodded as he breathed through a contraction with Rhett's help. "A little. I can feel his head like I did with Lincoln right before I had to push."

"Okay, you just let me know when you're ready to push okay?" Eliza said as she put on fresh gloves. "Do you mind if I check you real quick?"

"No go ahead," Link panted as a wave of exhaustion washed over him. He laid his head on Rhett's shoulder and let his eyes close. "I'm exhausted."

"I know baby," Rhett said as he stroked Link's hair. "Once you deliver Calan we can get you into bed and you can sleep for awhile."

"Promise?" Link asked, feeling another contraction starting to build.

"I promise," Rhett said with a nod and smile.

"I gotta push!" Link muttered weakly and looked down at Eliza. "Can I?"

"Of course you can. I can feel the baby's head already," Eliza said as she removed her hand. "You push whenever you're ready."

"I'm ready," Link groaned and reached for Rhett's hands before he started pushing again.

"You got this, baby! You're doing great!" Rhett encouraged, trying to do whatever he could to help Link out.

Link pushed for as long as he could then collapsed against Rhett's chest again with a grunt and paused to catch his breath. "Tell me I'm close." He asked Eliza who nodded.

"I can see the head now. A couple more pushes and he should be here. You're doing great, Link." Eliza smiled and gave his knee a gentle squeeze.

Link paused long enough to catch his breath before taking Rhett's hands again, tucking his chin to his chest, and pushing again. "You got this baby!" Rhett cheered him on and squeezed his hands back gently.

"Okay, okay, Link stop for me, let me get his mouth cleaned out," Eliza said once the head was all the way out. She swiped her finger into the baby's mouth and got out what goop she could and told Paige to get a bulb syringe ready. "Okay Link push gently lets get these shoulders delivered."

"Okay," Link said as he caught his breath. Once his breathing slowed down he grabbed Rhett's hands yet again and started to push again, not as hard as he had been though. He pushed gently until he could tell the shoulders had been delivered and the baby just slid out.

"You did a great job Link!" Eliza said as she cleared the nose and mouth better with the bulb syringe after lifting the baby out of the water. Paige handed her a towel so Eliza could dry the little boy off and doing that stimulated the baby to start crying at last. "Here you go Mama," Eliza said as she laid the baby against Link's chest and turned her attention to delivering the afterbirth.

Link was teary eyed as he held his second little boy against his chest and looked up at Rhett. "I did it!" He said wiping at his eyes.

"I'm so proud of you Link," Rhett said through his own tears. He leaned down and kissed the top of Link's head and rubbed his sides under the water. "You did amazing."

"Couldn't have done it without you, Rhett." Link was completely exhausted now, but his heart was racing as he wrapped his arms around their second son, Calan, to try and soothe him.

\-----

"Hey buddy," Rhett said softly as he got up to scoop up Calan who had started crying. "You're gonna wake up your Momma."

"He already did," Link said from where he'd been sleeping in bed since giving birth a couple hours earlier.

Rhett turned around and smiled at Link, "I tried to get him quickly, I'm sorry."

"No it's fine I was already awake when he started crying," Link assured Rhett as he sat up in bed with a little wince. "He's probably hungry."

"Probably," Rhett said and got back into bed next to Link. "Do you want me to go get Eliza to help you?"

"Let me try first. I know the mechanics of it from class so maybe I can do it on my own," Link decided as he took Calan from Rhett after unbuttoning his shirt. "You hungry little man?" Link cooed as he rubbed his nipple against Calan's lower lip getting him to open his mouth more so Link could get his entire nipple and areola into his mouth. It took Calan a few seconds to realize what Link had done before he closed his mouth and started trying to nurse. Link made a face at Rhett, wrinkling his nose a bit with a smile. "That is the weirdest feeling ever. How come you never told me how weird it feels?"

Rhett shrugged as he picked up, a now crying, Lincoln from the bassinet. "Never thought about it. You get used to it pretty quick and it just feels natural after that." Rhett got back into bed and tried to soothe Lincoln without much luck.

"Let me shift Calan and I'll try to nurse them both," Link said a couple minutes later after putting his nursing pillow around his waist. He gently pulled Calan away from his nipple and shifted his body position so he was laying on one side of the pillow and got him latched back on. "Okay, lets see if I can do this."

Rhett laid Lincoln on the other side of the pillow and helped get him latched on correctly. "There you go. You're a natural at this."

Link smiled and put his hands under the boy's heads to support them while they nursed hungrily. "I've watched you do it so many times I'm just copying what I saw you do mixed with what I learned in those classes I took."

Rhett felt his heart swell in his chest as he watched Link nurse their boys. He could barely believe they were finally here and that he'd delivered one of them himself. He didn't think his heart could be any fuller than it was in that very moment.

"What are you thinking about?" Link asked after looking up and seeing the look on Rhett's face.

Rhett looked up into Link's eyes and smiled more, "How much I love you and how full my heart is watching you nurse our boys." Rhett leaned forward carefully and stole a quick kiss. "You've made me the happiest man on Earth after years of being alone. I thought I was okay on my own, but you've made my life so much fuller since you came into it. I never realized how lonely I actually was until I hired you. And I fell for you so hard so quickly I didn't notice it until I was blindsided by it that first night we kissed. I had hoped that maybe you felt the same way about me, but I never let myself dream of what we have now. Three babies later and I love you even more and I almost can't believe you love me too."

Link smiled through the tears Rhett had brought to his eyes. "I do love you with every fiber of my being. I never told you this, but part of the reason I applied for the position was because I'd come out of a really bad relationship and I'd decided that I needed to be alone for awhile. I figured being isolated on a ranch in the middle of nowhere was the best chance I had to stick to my new resolution and work on healing. It never occurred to me that I could still meet someone way out here until the first time I saw you on a horse without a shirt and I knew I was screwed. I felt an attraction to you that first time I met you, but tried to ignore it. I wanted to be alone, I needed to heal, but you were everything I'd dreamed of. After our first kiss I knew I'd never find someone like you again. I just knew we were meant to be together. I'm just glad you felt the same way."

Rhett wiped away the tears that had fallen from Link's eyes. "I made the best decision of my life when I hired you and I'll never regret it."

"I'll never regret applying. You make me happy too Rhett. You've given my life meaning in ways I never imagined. I love you with all my heart and soul," Link said as Calan released his nipple. "Here take Calan so I can kiss you properly."

Rhett gently scooped the half asleep little boy into his arms and lifted him to his shoulder to burp him. He leaned in and kissed Link passionately until they were both breathless. "I love you so much," Rhett whispered after they broke apart.

"I love you too," Link said without hesitation. "To the moon and back."


End file.
